LESSON 41 An Indian's traps

第四十一课 印第安人的陷阱

Suppose yourself, gentle reader, standing at the gate of one of the forts in Hudson Bay, watching a savage arranging his snow-shoes, preparatory to entering the gloomy forest. Let us walk with this Indian on a visit to his traps.

亲爱的读者，假设你自己正站在哈德逊湾一处堡垒的大门前，看到一个原住民正在整理他的雪靴子，准备进入阴暗的森林中。让我们随着这个印第安人一起去看看他设置的陷阱吧。

The night is very dark, as the moon is hid by thick clouds; yet it occasionally breaks out sufficiently to illumine our path to the Indian's wigwam, and to throw the shadows of the neighbouring trees upon the pale snow, which, owing to the intense cold, crunches under our feet as we advance. The tent, at which we soon arrive, is pitched at the foot of an immense tree, which stands in a little hollow where the willows and pines are luxuriant enough to afford a shelter from the north wind. Suddenly the deer-skin robe that covers the entrance to the wigwam is raised, and a bright stream of warm light gushes out, tipping the dark green points of the opposite trees, and mingling strangely with the paler light of the moon—and the Indian stands erect in front of his solitary home.

夜非常黑，由于月亮都藏在浓密的云层后面，但是，偶尔，它又跳出来，照亮那条通向印第安人的小棚屋的路，并且在灰白的雪地里投下伫立于两旁的树影，因为十分寒冷，当我们走在雪地上时，还会发出咯吱咯吱的声音。我们即将到达的那个帐篷，安扎在山谷中的一颗大树脚下，四周有茂密的柳树和松树，足可抵挡北风的怒吼。突然，盖在棚屋门口的鹿皮长袍被掀起来，一道刺眼的光线涌出来，倾泻在对面树枝的墨绿点上，与苍白的月光奇怪的混合在一起——印第安人直直地立在他那孤独的棚屋前。

He is in his usual hunting costume. A large leathern coat, very much overlapped in front, and fastened round his waist with a scarlet belt, protects his body from the cold. A small rat-skin cap covers his head, and his legs are cased in the ordinary blue cloth leggins. Large moccasins, with two or three pairs of blanket socks, clothe his feet; and fingerless mittens, made of deer-skin, complete his costume.

他穿着打猎时的装束，一件很大的皮外套重叠在胸前，一根红色的腰带紧紧的扎在腰部，以抵御寒风。头上戴着一顶鼠皮帽，腿上则绑着普通的蓝布绑腿。脚上穿着一双大号鹿皮鞋，里面套着两三双毡袜；而手上则戴着用鹿皮做的连指手套，这就是他从头到脚的全副武装了。

After a few minutes passed in contemplation of the heavens, the Indian prepares himself for the walk. First he sticks a small axe in his belt, serving as a counterpoise to a large hunting-knife and fire-bag which depend from the other side.

冥思苦想了几分钟后，印第安人准备好出发了。首先，他在腰上别了一把小斧子，于放在另一端的大猎刀和点火用的材料袋子保持平衡。