×

我們使用cookies幫助改善LingQ。通過流覽本網站,表示你同意我們的 cookie 政策.


image

The Discovery of New Worlds, 42. Discovery of the Pacific

42. Discovery of the Pacific

"This day is full of glorious victory, Echoes of conquest whisper from afar In every wave of the remembering sea. " —H. BEGBIE.

Among all the wonderful stories in the discovery of America there is none more thrilling than that of the Spaniard Balboa, the stowaway, who found the great Pacific Ocean lying beyond the newly discovered country.

All eyes were now turned towards America. Ship after ship still sailed westward. Still no one had as yet crossed the mainland, no one knew for certain that a great sea washed the farther coast of the new world which lay between Europe and Asia, Spain and China.

Among others who left Spain to settle in the new colony of Hayti, founded by Columbus, was Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. He had not been a successful tiller of the soil, and before long he found himself in debt. By law no debtor was allowed to leave the country, so Balboa had been forced to see expedition after expedition depart from Hayti for adventure and conquest, leaving him always behind.

One day a ship sailed away from the new colony. On board were soldiers, sailors, arms, and food. In the midst of the cargo stood a barrel, supposed to contain food. But it contained a live man instead. The ship was well out to sea, when the stowaway crawled out of his barrel and appeared on deck. It was Balboa, the Spanish knight. The captain was very angry, and threatened to land him on a desert island. But Balboa's entreaties touched him, and he was allowed to sail on with the rest of them. They were close to land when the ship ran upon a rock, and was very soon dashed to pieces.

Balboa—a "man who was never deterred"—now rose to the occasion. He led the shipwrecked party to a friendly Indian village near Darien. The Spaniards were on the narrow neck of land now known as the isthmus of Panama, which joins North and South America, though they knew it not. Arrived here, Balboa deposed the captain, sent him back to Hayti, and made himself governor of the little colony. He explored the neighbourhood, finding Indian villages rich in gold and the chiefs ready to give information about the new country.

One day some gold was being weighed out to the Spaniards, who were quarrelling over the quantity, when the prince, who was disgusted with their behaviour, dashed the gold from the scales, crying, "What is this, Christians? is it for such a little thing that you quarrel? If you have such a love of gold that to obtain it you harass the peaceful nations of these lands, I will show you a country where you may fulfill your desires. You will have to fight your way with great kings, among them one whose country is distant from our country six suns. " The prince pointed away to the south, where, he said, lay a great sea. There were sails and oars on the sea, and if they crossed it they would find a land of great riches, where people drank out of golden cups.

A feverish longing to find this great sea seized Balboa, but he could not reach it with so few men. So he sent a messenger back to the King of Spain to beg for help. Storms raged in the Atlantic Ocean, and it was eight months before the messenger reached Spain. Then he found that the captain deposed by Balboa had been before him and poisoned the king's mind against his subject. Something of this reached the ears of Balboa in distant Darien. He felt his dismissal would come, and he must find the great new sea first.

So he collected about two hundred men and started on his perilous expedition. Making friends of the Indians he met, Balboa reached at last the high range of mountains which divided him from the other coast. Led by native guides the Spaniards struggled up the steep sides, up and ever upwards. At last the guides signed to Balboa that he was near the top. He bade his men sit down. He must be alone to see that great sight for which his soul had yearned. It was all true. As he reached the summit of the peak he looked down over the vast Pacific Ocean, bathed in the brilliant light of a tropical sun. He was the first man from the old world who had seen it. Falling on his knees, he thanked God, for that he had discovered the Sea of the South.

Then he beckoned up his men.

"You see here, gentlemen and children mine," he said, when they had gathered at the top and were feasting their eyes on the view before them, "the end of our labours. " It was not unlike the moment when Hannibal stood on the top of the snowy Alps and pointed to his men the land of Italy lying below in the sunshine.

Then, having sung the "Te Deum," they made a cross, heaped up stones, and took formal possession of the sea and all that was in it in the name of the King of Spain. After this they made their way down the farther side of the mountain to the beach. Finding two native canoes on the shore, two men sprang in and pushed off, crying aloud that they were the first Europeans to sail on the new sea, while Balboa waded in up to his hips, sword in hand, to take possession of the sea for Spain.

Thus on September 29, 1513, was completed the first discovery of the Pacific Ocean. The discoverer, Balboa, was made governor of the new sea, but five years later he was beheaded by one who was jealous of his powers.

Learn languages from TV shows, movies, news, articles and more! Try LingQ for FREE

42. Discovery of the Pacific 42. Descubrimiento del Pacífico 42. Découverte du Pacifique 42. Scoperta del Pacifico 42.太平洋の発見 42. Descoberta do Pacífico 42. Открытие Тихого океана 42. Pasifik'in Keşfi 42. Відкриття Тихого океану 42. 发现太平洋 42. 發現太平洋

"This day is full of glorious victory, Echoes of conquest whisper from afar In every wave of the remembering sea. |||||||Reverberations|||softly speak||||||||| " —H. BEGBIE. BEGBIE

Among all the wonderful stories in the discovery of America there is none more thrilling than that of the Spaniard Balboa, the stowaway, who found the great Pacific Ocean lying beyond the newly discovered country. ||||||||||||||||||||||polizón|||||||||||| Среди всех удивительных историй, связанных с открытием Америки, нет более захватывающей, чем история испанца Бальбоа, безбилетника, который обнаружил, что за пределами недавно открытой страны лежит великий Тихий океан.

All eyes were now turned towards America. Ship after ship still sailed westward. Still no one had as yet crossed the mainland, no one knew for certain that a great sea washed the farther coast of the new world which lay between Europe and Asia, Spain and China. Nessuno aveva ancora attraversato la terraferma, nessuno sapeva con certezza che un grande mare bagnava la costa più lontana del nuovo mondo che si trovava tra Europa e Asia, Spagna e Cina.

Among others who left Spain to settle in the new colony of Hayti, founded by Columbus, was Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. ||||||||||||Haití||||||Nuñez de Balboa||Balboa He had not been a successful tiller of the soil, and before long he found himself in debt. ||||||farmer or gardener||||||||||| ||||||cultivador de la||||||||||| Non era stato un coltivatore di successo e in breve tempo si ritrovò indebitato. By law no debtor was allowed to leave the country, so Balboa had been forced to see expedition after expedition depart from Hayti for adventure and conquest, leaving him always behind. |||deudor|||||||||||||||||partir salir||||||||||

One day a ship sailed away from the new colony. On board were soldiers, sailors, arms, and food. In the midst of the cargo stood a barrel, supposed to contain food. But it contained a live man instead. The ship was well out to sea, when the stowaway crawled out of his barrel and appeared on deck. |||||||||polizón||||||||| It was Balboa, the Spanish knight. The captain was very angry, and threatened to land him on a desert island. But Balboa's entreaties touched him, and he was allowed to sail on with the rest of them. ||pleas or requests|||||||||||||| |de Balboa|súplicas|||||||||||||| They were close to land when the ship ran upon a rock, and was very soon dashed to pieces. ||||||||||||||||destrozada a ped||

Balboa—a "man who was never deterred"—now rose to the occasion. ||||||discouraged or stopped||||| Balboa, "l'uomo che non è mai stato scoraggiato", è ora all'altezza dell'occasione. He led the shipwrecked party to a friendly Indian village near Darien. |||naufragados||||||||Darien The Spaniards were on the narrow neck of land now known as the isthmus of Panama, which joins North and South America, though they knew it not. |||||||||||||istmo||||||||||||| Arrived here, Balboa deposed the captain, sent him back to Hayti, and made himself governor of the little colony. |||depuesto||||||||||||||| Прибыв сюда, Бальбоа сместил капитана, отправил его обратно в Хайти и сам стал губернатором маленькой колонии. He explored the neighbourhood, finding Indian villages rich in gold and the chiefs ready to give information about the new country. ||||||||||||jefes||||||||

One day some gold was being weighed out to the Spaniards, who were quarrelling over the quantity, when the prince, who was disgusted with their behaviour, dashed the gold from the scales, crying, "What is this, Christians? |||||||||||||discutiendo entre ellos||||||||||||||||||||||| is it for such a little thing that you quarrel? |||||||||pelean è per una cosa così piccola che litigate? If you have such a love of gold that to obtain it you harass the peaceful nations of these lands, I will show you a country where you may fulfill your desires. |||||||||||||bother or attack|||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||acosar|||||||||||||||||| Se avete un tale amore per l'oro che per ottenerlo tormentate le nazioni pacifiche di queste terre, vi mostrerò un paese dove potrete soddisfare i vostri desideri. You will have to fight your way with great kings, among them one whose country is distant from our country six suns. " Dovrai scontrarti con grandi re, tra cui uno il cui paese è distante dal nostro sei soli. " The prince pointed away to the south, where, he said, lay a great sea. There were sails and oars on the sea, and if they crossed it they would find a land of great riches, where people drank out of golden cups.

A feverish longing to find this great sea seized Balboa, but he could not reach it with so few men. |intense|||||||||||||||||| Un desiderio febbrile di trovare questo grande mare si impadronì di Balboa, ma non poteva raggiungerlo con così pochi uomini. So he sent a messenger back to the King of Spain to beg for help. Storms raged in the Atlantic Ocean, and it was eight months before the messenger reached Spain. Then he found that the captain deposed by Balboa had been before him and poisoned the king's mind against his subject. Затем он узнал, что капитан, свергнутый Бальбоа, был перед ним и отравил разум короля против его подданного. Something of this reached the ears of Balboa in distant Darien. ||||||||||Darién He felt his dismissal would come, and he must find the great new sea first. |||despido|||||||||||

So he collected about two hundred men and started on his perilous expedition. |||||||||||peligrosa| Making friends of the Indians he met, Balboa reached at last the high range of mountains which divided him from the other coast. Led by native guides the Spaniards struggled up the steep sides, up and ever upwards. At last the guides signed to Balboa that he was near the top. ||||señalaron|||||||| He bade his men sit down. He must be alone to see that great sight for which his soul had yearned. ||||||||||||||anhelado It was all true. As he reached the summit of the peak he looked down over the vast Pacific Ocean, bathed in the brilliant light of a tropical sun. He was the first man from the old world who had seen it. Falling on his knees, he thanked God, for that he had discovered the Sea of the South.

Then he beckoned up his men. ||called over||| ||hizo una señal|||

"You see here, gentlemen and children mine," he said, when they had gathered at the top and were feasting their eyes on the view before them, "the end of our labours. " ||||||||||||||||||enjoying the view|||||||||||| "Vedete qui, signori e figli miei", disse quando si furono riuniti in cima e si rifecero gli occhi con il panorama che avevano davanti, "la fine delle nostre fatiche". " It was not unlike the moment when Hannibal stood on the top of the snowy Alps and pointed to his men the land of Italy lying below in the sunshine. Non fu diverso dal momento in cui Annibale si trovò sulla cima delle Alpi innevate e indicò ai suoi uomini la terra d'Italia che si stendeva sotto il sole.

Then, having sung the "Te Deum," they made a cross, heaped up stones, and took formal possession of the sea and all that was in it in the name of the King of Spain. |||||Te Deum|||||apiladas||||||||||||||||||||||| After this they made their way down the farther side of the mountain to the beach. Poi scesero lungo il versante opposto della montagna fino alla spiaggia. Finding two native canoes on the shore, two men sprang in and pushed off, crying aloud that they were the first Europeans to sail on the new sea, while Balboa waded in up to his hips, sword in hand, to take possession of the sea for Spain. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||walked through water|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||se metió|||||||||||||||| Trovate due canoe indigene sulla riva, due uomini vi salirono e si spinsero al largo, gridando ad alta voce di essere i primi europei a navigare sul nuovo mare, mentre Balboa si immergeva fino ai fianchi, spada alla mano, per prendere possesso del mare per la Spagna.

Thus on September 29, 1513, was completed the first discovery of the Pacific Ocean. The discoverer, Balboa, was made governor of the new sea, but five years later he was beheaded by one who was jealous of his powers. ||||||||||||||||decapitado||||||||