In an instant the frigate's deck would become densely populated. 战舰的甲板上马上就挤满了人，水手和军官像水流一般地从布棚下涌出来了。

The cowls over the companionways would vomit a torrent of sailors and officers.With panting chests and anxious eyes, we each would observe the cetacean's movements.

人人都心头跳动，眼光闪烁，注视着鲸鱼的行动。

I stared; I stared until I nearly went blind from a worn-out retina, while Conseil, as stoicas ever, kept repeating to me in a calm tone:

我非常注意地看着，看得眼睛发黑，简直要变成瞎子了。但康塞尔总是若无其事的，用安静的语气一再对我说：

If master's eyes would kindly stop bulging master will see farther!

如果先生愿意少费些目力，眼睛不要睁得大大，先生也许能看得更清楚一些!

But what a waste of energy! The Abraham Lincoln would change course and race after the animal sighted,

但是，空欢喜了一场!林肯号转了方向，向发现的动物冲去，原来是一条平常的长须鲸，

only to find an ordinary baleen whale or a common sperm whale that soon disappeared amid a chorus of curses!

或一条普通的大头鲸，不多时就在大家的咒骂声中不见了!

However, the weather held good. Our voyage was proceeding under the most favorable conditions.

可是天气很好。船在良好的情况中航行，这正是南半球天气恶劣的季节，

By then it was the bad season in these southernmost regions, because July in this zone corresponds to our January in Europe;

而这一带的七月却和我们欧洲的一月差不多。

but the sea remained smooth and easily visible over a vast perimeter.

不过海是平静的，人们一眼可以看得很远。