"And day after day we went over the sea, and each day the head man drew the sun down out of the sky and made it tell where we were. And when the waves were kind, we hunted the fur seal and I marvelled much, for always did they fling the meat and the fat away and save only the skin."

Opee-Kwan's mouth was twitching violently, and he was about to make denunciation of such waste when Koogah kicked him to be still.

"After a weary time (после утомительного времени), when the sun was gone and the bite of the frost come into the air (когда солнце пропало, и в воздухе появился жгучий мороз), the head man pointed the nose of the schooner south (старейшина направил нос шхуны на юг; to point — направлять, наводить). South and east we travelled for days upon days (на юг и восток = на юго-восток мы шли дни за днями), with never the land in sight (при этом никогда не видели суши), and we were near to the village from which hailed the men (и мы оказались возле поселка, из которого были родом эти люди; to hail from — происходить, быть родом из) — ''

"How did they know they were near (как они узнали, что они рядом)?" Opee-Kwan, unable to contain himself longer, demanded (спросил Опи-Кван, который больше не мог сдерживаться; to contain oneself — сдерживаться, владеть собой). "There was no land to see (/ведь/ земли не было видно)."

"After a weary time, when the sun was gone and the bite of the frost come into the air, the head man pointed the nose of the schooner south. South and east we travelled for days upon days, with never the land in sight, and we were near to the village from which hailed the men — ''

"How did they know they were near?" Opee-Kwan, unable to contain himself longer, demanded. "There was no land to see."

Nam-Bok glowered on him wrathfully (Нам-Бок рассерженно зыркнул на него; wrath — гнев, ярость; глубокое возмущение). " Did I not say the head man brought the sun down out of the sky (разве я не говорил, что старейшина спускал солнце с неба)?"

Koogah interposed (вмешался Куга), and Nam-Bok went on (и Нам-Бок продолжил).

"As I say (как я говорю = говорил), when we were near to that village a great storm blew up (когда мы были возле того селения, задула сильная буря; to blow up — начать дуть, усиливаться /о ветре/), and in the night we were helpless and knew not where we were (а ночью мы были беспомощны и не знали, где мы) — "

"Thou hast just said the head man knew (ты только что сказал, что старейшина знал) — "

Nam-Bok glowered on him wrathfully. "Did I not say the head man brought the sun down out of the sky?"

Koogah interposed, and Nam-Bok went on.

"As I say, when we were near to that village a great storm blew up, and in the night we were helpless and knew not where we were — "

"Thou hast just said the head man knew — "

"Oh, peace, Opee-Kwan (ах, успокойся, Опи-Кван; peace — мир; покой, спокойствие)! Thou art a fool and cannot understand (ты глупец и не понимаешь). As I say, we were helpless in the night (как я сказал, мы были беспомощны ночью), when I heard, above the roar of the storm (когда я услышал над = за ревом шторма), the sound of the sea on the beach (звук прибоя: «моря /накатывающего на/ берег»). And next we struck with a mighty crash (а потом мы ударились со страшным грохотом; to strike — ударить/ся/) and I was in the water, swimming (и я оказался в воде /и/ поплыл). It was a rock-bound coast (это было побережье со скалистой границей = скалистое побережье; to bind — вязать; связывать; завязывать; ограничивать), with one patch of beach in many miles (с одним клочком песчаного берега на много миль), and the law was that I should dig my hands into the sand and draw myself clear of the surf (и закон был таков = и суждено мне было, чтобы я погрузил руки в песок и выбрался из прибоя). The other men must have pounded against the rocks (остальные люди, должно быть, разбились о скалы), for none of them came ashore (ибо никто из них не попал на берег; to come ashore — сходить на берег) but the head man (кроме старейшины), and him I knew only by the ring on his finger (а его я узнал лишь по кольцу на пальце).

"Oh, peace, Opee-Kwan! Thou art a fool and cannot understand. As I say, we were helpless in the night, when I heard, above the roar of the storm, the sound of the sea on the beach. And next we struck with a mighty crash and I was in the water, swimming. It was a rock-bound coast, with one patch of beach in many miles, and the law was that I should dig my hands into the sand and draw myself clear of the surf. The other men must have pounded against the rocks, for none of them came ashore but the head man, and him I knew only by the ring on his finger.

"When day came (когда наступил день), there being nothing of the schooner (/и/ от шхуны ничего не было = не осталось), I turned my face to the land and journeyed into it (я направился на сушу и пошел вглубь ее; to turn one’s face to — направиться, отправиться /куда-либо/; to journey — путешествовать; journey — путешествие /обычно сухопутное/) that I might get food and look upon the faces of the people (чтобы /я мог/ добыть пищу и посмотреть на лица людей). And when I came to a house (а когда я пришел к одному дому) I was taken in and given to eat (меня приютили и накормили; to take in — принимать /гостя/; предоставлять приют), for I had learned their speech (ибо я выучил их речь), and the white men are ever kindly (а белые люди всегда добрые). And it was a house bigger than all the houses built by us and our fathers before us (и это был дом, больше всех домов, построенных нами и нашими отцами до нас)."

"It was a mighty house (это был громадный дом)," Koogah said, masking his unbelief with wonder (маскируя свое недоверие удивлением; belief — вера; доверие).

"And many trees went into the making of such a house (и на изготовление такого дома пошло много деревьев)," Opee-Kwan added (добавил Опи-Кван), taking the cue (поняв намек; to take — брать, взять; понимать, воспринимать, схватывать).

"When day came, there being nothing of the schooner, I turned my face to the land and journeyed into it that I might get food and look upon the faces of the people. And when I came to a house I was taken in and given to eat, for I had learned their speech, and the white men are ever kindly. And it was a house bigger than all the houses built by us and our fathers before us."

"It was a mighty house," Koogah said, masking his unbelief with wonder.

"And many trees went into the making of such a house," Opee-Kwan added, taking the cue.

"That is nothing (это пустяки)." Nam-Bok shrugged his shoulders in belittling fashion (Нам-Бок пренебрежительно пожал плечами). "As our houses are to that house (каковы наши дома по сравнению с тем домом), so that house was to the houses I was yet to see (таким был и тот дом по сравнению с домами, которые мне еще предстояло увидеть)."

"And they are not big men (и они не великаны)?"

"Nay; mere men like you and me (нет, просто люди, как ты и я; mere — простой, не более чем, всего лишь)," Nam-Bok answered (ответил Нам-Бок). "I had cut a stick that I might walk in comfort (я вырезал палку, чтобы ходить с удобством), and remembering that I was to bring report to you, my brothers (и помня, что мне предстоит привезти вам рассказ, мои братья), I cut a notch in the stick for each person who lived in that house (я вырезал = делал по одной зарубке на каждого человека, который жил в том доме). And I stayed there many days, and worked (и я жил там много дней и работал), for which they gave me money (за что мне давали деньги) — a thing of which you know nothing (штука, о которой вы ничего не знаете), but which is very good (но она очень полезная).