The existence of this shore seemed to bear out Commander Maury's hypotheses.

这片陆地的存在好像证明莫利的假设是对的。

In essence, this ingenious American has noted that between the South Pole and the 60th parallel, the sea is covered with floating ice of dimensions much greater than any found in the north Atlantic.

的确，这位高明的美国学者指出，在南极和纬度60度中间，海上是浮动的冰群，这些冰群非常巨大，在大西洋北部从不能碰到。

From this fact he drew the conclusion that the Antarctic Circle must contain considerable shores, since icebergs can't form on the high seas but only along coastlines.

根据这个事实，他得出这个结论，南极圈中藏有大片的陆地，因为冰山不能在大海中间形成，只在近陆地的边岸才能存在。

According to his calculations, this frozen mass enclosing the southernmost pole forms a vast ice cap whose width must reach 4,000 kilometers.

按照他的计算，遮覆南极的冰群形成一个球形的圆盖，这盖的宽大可能是四千公里。

Meanwhile, to avoid running aground, the Nautilus halted three cable lengths from a strand crowned by superb piles of rocks.

可是，诺第留斯号怕搁浅，停在相距六米左右的滩前，有一片雄壮的岩石层高耸在滩上。

The skiff was launched to sea.

小艇放到海中去。

Two crewmen carrying instruments, the captain, Conseil, and I were on board.

船长、他的两个船员带着各种器械，康塞尔和我，我们一齐上小艇去。

It was ten o'clock in the morning. I hadn't seen Ned Land.

时间是早晨十点、我没有看见尼德·兰。

No doubt, in the presence of the South Pole, the Canadian hated having to eat his words.

加拿大人一定不愿意承认南极是在他面前。

A few strokes of the oar brought the skiff to the sand, where it ran aground.

桨划了几下，小艇就到了沙滩上，搁浅下来。

Just as Conseil was about to jump ashore, I held him back.

康塞尔正要下地的时候，我把他拉住了。

Sir, I told Captain Nemo, to you belongs the honor of first setting foot on this shore.

先生，我对尼摩船长说，第一次脚踩这陆地的光荣应该属于您。

Yes, sir, the captain replied, and if I have no hesitation in treading this polar soil, it's because no human being until now has left a footprint here.

对，先生，船长回答，我所以一点不犹豫地脚踩这极圈的土地，是因为直到现在，还没有一个人留下他的脚迹在这陆地上。

So saying, he leaped lightly onto the sand.

说过这话，他轻快地跳在沙滩上。

His heart must have been throbbing with intense excitement.

紧张激动的情绪使他的心跳得厉害。

He scaled an overhanging rock that ended in a small promontory and there, mute and motionless, with crossed arms and blazing eyes, he seemed to be laying claim to these southernmost regions.

他攀上一块岩石、倾斜的岩石尽处是一个小呷，在呷上，他交叉着两只手，热情的眼光，不动，静戳。他好像取得这些南极地方的所有权了。

After spending five minutes in this trance, he turned to us.

在这种极乐情绪中过了五分钟后，他向我们转过身来。