He gave his orders. The Abraham Lincoln stayed at half steam, advancing cautiously so as not to awaken its adversary. 

他发出命令。为了不至把敌方惊醒，林肯号减低速度，小心谨慎地前进。

In midocean it's not unusual to encounter whales so sound asleep they can successfully be attacked, and Ned Land had harpooned more than one in its slumber.

在大海中碰到睡着了的鲸鱼，因而胜利地攻击它们，这并不是希奇的事情，尼德·兰也不止一次在鲸鱼昏睡的时候叉中了它们。

The Canadian went to resume his post on the bobstays under the bowsprit.

加拿大人又到了船头斜桅下，走上了他原来的岗位。

The frigate approached without making a sound, stopped two cable lengths from the animal and coasted.

战舰慢慢地前进着，一点声息也没有，离这动物三百七十米左右的时候关了气门，船现在只凭本身余下的气力走动。

Not a soul breathed on board. A profound silence reigned over the deck.

船上连呼吸声也听不到。甲板上绝对沉寂。

We were not 100 feet from the blazing core of light, whose glow grew stronger and dazzled the eyes.

人们距白热的焦点不到一百英尺了，光度更强起来，照得我们的眼睛发昏。

Just then, leaning over the forecastle railing, I saw Ned Land below me, one hand grasping the martingale, the other brandishing his dreadful harpoon.

这时候，我伏在船头前面的栏杆上，看见尼德。兰在我下面，一手拉着帆索，一手挥动他锋利的鱼叉。

Barely twenty feet separated him from the motionless animal.

就和这睡着的动物距离不过二十英尺了。