The next day, the 7th of May, Harding and Gideon Spilett, leaving Neb to prepare breakfast, climbed Prospect Heights, while Herbert and Pencroft ascended by the river, to renew their store of wood.
第二天，5月7日，哈定和吉迪恩·斯派莱特留下尼布准备早餐，爬上了前景山，而赫伯特和彭克罗夫则沿着河流向上，补充他们的木材。

The engineer and the reporter soon reached the little beach on which the dugong had been stranded. —
工程师和记者很快就到达了妙海象被搁浅的小海滩。 —

Already flocks of birds had attacked the mass of flesh, and had to be driven away with stones, for Cyrus wished to keep the fat for the use of the colony. —
已经有一群鸟群飞来攻击那块肉，不得不用石头赶走，因为赛勒斯希望保留这块脂肪供殖民地使用。 —

As to the animal’s flesh it would furnish excellent food, for in the islands of the Malay Archipelago and elsewhere, it is especially reserved for the table of the native princes. —
至于动物的肉，它将提供优质的食物，因为在马来群岛和其他地方，它特别保留给当地的王公贵族食用。 —

But that was Neb’s affair.
但这是尼布的事。

At this moment Cyrus Harding had other thoughts. —
这时赛勒斯·哈定有了其他想法。 —

He was much interested in the incident of the day before. —
他对前一天的事件非常感兴趣。 —

He wished to penetrate the mystery of that submarine combat, and to ascertain what monster could have given the dugong so strange a wound. —
他希望探究昨天的潜水战的奥秘，确定什么怪物能够给妙海象留下如此奇怪的伤口。 —

He remained at the edge of the lake, looking, observing; —
他站在湖边，观察，观察； —

but nothing appeared under the tranquil waters, which sparkled in the first rays of the rising sun.
但在初升的太阳的第一缕阳光中，水面上没有任何东西出现。

At the beach, on which lay the body of the dugong, the water was tolerably shallow, but from this point the bottom of the lake sloped gradually, and it was probable that the depth was considerable in the center. —
在搁浅的妙海象的尸体所在的海滩上，水面相当浅，但从这一点开始，湖底逐渐倾斜，中心处的深度可能相当深。 —

The lake might be considered as a large center basin, which was filled by the water from the Red Creek.
这个湖可以被看作是一个由红溪的水填满的大中央盆地。

“Well, Cyrus,” said the reporter, “there seems to be nothing suspicious in this water.”
“好了，赛勒斯，”记者说，“这水似乎没有什么可疑的。”

“No, my dear Spilett,” replied the engineer, “and I really do not know how to account for the incident of yesterday.”
“是的，我亲爱的斯派莱特，”工程师回答，“我确实不知道如何解释昨天的事件。”

“I acknowledge,” returned Spilett, “that the wound given this creature is, at least, very strange, and I cannot explain either how Top was so vigorously cast up out of the water. —
“我承认，”斯派莱特回答道，“这个生物受伤确实非常奇怪，我也解释不清楚Top是如何那么有力地被从水中抛出的。” —

One could have thought that a powerful arm hurled him up, and that the same arm with a dagger killed the dugong!”
有人可能会认为是一只强有力的手将他抛起，同一只手用匕首杀死了儒艮！

“Yes,” replied the engineer, who had become thoughtful; —
“是的,“工程师回答,显得有些思索; —

“there is something there that I cannot understand. —
“有一些事情我无法理解。 —

But do you better understand either, my dear Spilett, in what way I was saved myself–how I was drawn from the waves, and carried to the downs? —
“但是你能更好地理解我是如何被拯救的吗–我是如何从海浪中被拽起，然后被带到山丘上的呢？ —

No! Is it not true? Now, I feel sure that there is some mystery there, which, doubtless, we shall discover some day. —
“不！这不是事实吗？我现在确信那里有一些谜团，无疑的，我们会有一天揭开这个谜团。 —

Let us observe, but do not dwell on these singular incidents before our companions. —
“让我们留意，但不要在同伴面前谈论这些奇怪的事件。 —

Let us keep our remarks to ourselves, and continue our work.”
“让我们把观察保留在心里，并继续我们的工作。”

It will be remembered that the engineer had not as yet been able to discover the place where the surplus water escaped, but he knew it must exist somewhere. —
大家应该记得工程师还没有能找到多余水流的出口，但他知道必定存在着某个地方。 —

He was much surprised to see a strong current at this place. —
他对此地方出现强劲的水流感到十分惊讶。 —

By throwing in some bits of wood he found that it set towards the southern angle. —
通过投入一些木块，他发现水流向南角汇聚。 —

He followed the current, and arrived at the south point of the lake.
他顺着水流去找，最后到达湖泊的南端。

There was there a sort of depression in the water, as if it was suddenly lost in some fissure in the ground.
水面上显现出一种凹陷，仿佛是突然消失在地面的一个裂缝中。

Harding listened; placing his ear to the level of the lake, he very distinctly heard the noise of a subterranean fall.
Harding倾听着，将耳朵贴近湖面，他清楚地听到了地下瀑布的声音。

“There,” said he, rising, “is the discharge of the water; —
“就在那里，”他说着站起来，”就是水的排放口； —

there, doubtless, by a passage in the granite cliff, it joins the sea, through cavities which we can use to our profit. —
“毫无疑问，通过花岗岩悬崖中的一个通道，它会流入大海，我们可以利用这些洞穴。” —

Well, I can find it!”
“好吧，我能找到它！”

The engineer cut a long branch, stripped it of its leaves, and plunging it into the angle between the two banks, he found that there was a large hole one foot only beneath the surface of the water. —
工程师砍下一根长树枝，剥去叶子，将其插入两岸的夹角，他发现水面下仅一英尺处有一个大洞。 —

This hole was the opening so long looked for in vain, and the force of the current was such that the branch was torn from the engineer’s hands and disappeared.
这个洞就是长期寻找但一直未能找到的出口，水流的力量如此之大，以至于树枝被工程师从手中拽走并消失了。

“There is no doubt about it now,” repeated Harding. —
“毫无疑问了,” 哈定重复道。 —

“There is the outlet, and I will lay it open to view!”
“这就是出口，我要把它打开让大家看见！”

“How?” asked Gideon Spilett.
“怎么做？” 吉迪恩•斯普莱特问道。

“By lowering the level of the water of the lake three feet.” “And how will you lower the level?”
“降低湖水水位三英尺。”

“By opening another outlet larger than this.”
“如何降低水位？”

“At what place, Cyrus?”
“开辟一个比这个更大的出口。”

“At the part of the bank nearest the coast.”
“在哪里，赛勒斯？”

“But it is a mass of granite!” observed Spilett.
“靠近海岸的银行部分。”

“Well,” replied Cyrus Harding, “I will blow up the granite, and the water escaping, will subside, so as to lay bare this opening–”
“但那是一块花岗石！” 斯普莱特观察到。

“And make a waterfall, by falling on to the beach,” added the reporter.
“那么,” 赛勒斯•哈定回答道，“我将炸毁花岗岩，水流出来，然后会退下去，露出这个洞口—”

“A fall that we shall make use of!” replied Cyrus. “Come, come!”
“瀑布，落在海滩上形成瀑布，” 记者补充道。

The engineer hurried away his companion, whose confidence in Harding was such that he did not doubt the enterprise would succeed. —
“瀑布将会变得实用！” 赛勒斯回答。 “快，快！” 工程师带走了他的伙伴，他对哈定的信任是如此之深，以至于他不怀疑这次尝试会成功。 —

And yet, how was this granite wall to be opened without powder, and with imperfect instruments? —
然而，这座花岗岩墙如果没有火药和不完善的工具，怎么能打开呢？ —

Was not this work upon which the engineer was so bent above their strength?
这位工程师如此专注的工作难道不超出了他们的力量吗？

When Harding and the reporter entered the Chimneys, they found Herbert and Pencroft unloading their raft of wood.
当哈定和记者进入烟囱时，他们发现赫伯特和潘克罗夫正在卸载他们的木筏上的木材。

“The woodmen have just finished, captain.” said the sailor, laughing, “and when you want masons–”
“伐木工人刚刚完成了，队长。”说水手，笑着说，”需要石匠的时候–”

“Masons,–no, but chemists,” replied the engineer.
“不是石匠，而是化学家，”工程师回答道。

“Yes,” added the reporter, “we are going to blow up the island–”
“是的，”记者补充道，”我们打算炸掉这个岛–”

“Blow up the island?” cried Pencroft.
“炸掉这个岛？”潘克罗夫喊道。

“Part of it, at least,” replied Spilett.
“至少是这个岛的一部分，”斯派莱特回答。

“Listen to me, my friends,” said the engineer. —
“朋友们，听我说，”工程师说。 —

And he made known to them the result of his observations.
然后他告诉他们他观察的结果。

According to him, a cavity, more or less considerable, must exist in the mass of granite which supported Prospect Heights, and he intended to penetrate into it. —
根据他的说法，在支撑展望高地的花岗岩块中必定存在一个多多少少的洞穴，他打算进入其中。 —

To do this, the opening through which the water rushed must first be cleared, and the level lowered by making a larger outlet. —
为了做到这一点，首先必须清理水涌入的开口，并通过扩大出口降低水平。 —

Therefore an explosive substance must be manufactured, which would make a deep trench in some other part of the shore. —
因此，必须制造一种能在岸边的其他某个地方挖出深沟的爆炸物质。 —

This was what Harding was going to attempt with the minerals which nature placed at his disposal.
这正是哈定打算使用大自然提供给他的矿物来尝试的。

It is useless to say with what enthusiasm all, especially Pencroft, received this project. —
不用说所有人，尤其是潘克罗夫是多么地热情地接受了这个计划。 —

To employ great means, open the granite, create a cascade, that suited the sailor. —
采用伟大的手段，打开花岗岩，制造一道瀑布，适合水手。 —

And he would just as soon be a chemist as a mason or bootmaker, since the engineer wanted chemicals. He would be all that they liked, “even a professor of dancing and deportment,” said he to Neb, if that was ever necessary.
他宁愿成为一位化学家，也不愿成为石匠或制鞋师，因为工程师需要化学品。他愿意成为所有他们喜欢的人，就像他对尼布说的那样，“甚至是跳舞和举止的教授”，如果有必要的话。

Neb and Pencroft were first of all told to extract the grease from the dugong, and to keep the flesh, which was destined for food. —
尼布和潘克洛夫首先被告知要提取儒艮的脂肪，保存肉，以备食用。 —

Such perfect confidence had they in the engineer, that they set out directly, without even asking a question. —
他们对工程师的完全信任，使他们立刻动身，甚至没有问一个问题。 —

A few minutes after them, Cyrus Harding, Herbert, and Gideon Spilett, dragging the hurdle, went towards the vein of coals, where those shistose pyrites abound which are met with in the most recent transition soil, and of which Harding had already found a specimen. —
几分钟后，赛勒斯·哈丁、赫伯特和吉迪恩·斯普莱特，拉着担架，朝着煤层走去，在那里有丰富的片岩和含有硫化铁的煤，而哈丁已经找到了一个样本。 —

All the day being employed in carrying a quantity of these stones to the Chimneys, by evening they had several tons.
整天都在将这些石块搬到烟囱那里，直到傍晚他们已经搬了好几吨。

The next day, the 8th of May, the engineer began his manipulations. —
第二天，5月8日，工程师开始操作。 —

These shistose pyrites being composed principally of coal, flint, alumina, and sulphuret of iron–the latter in excess–it was necessary to separate the sulphuret of iron, and transform it into sulphate as rapidly as possible. —
这些片岩主要由煤、燧石、氧化铝和硫化铁组成，后者超量存在，必须分离硫化铁，并尽快转化为硫酸盐。 —

The sulphate obtained, the sulphuric acid could then be extracted.
获得硫酸盐后，就可以提取硫酸。

This was the object to be attained. Sulphuric acid is one of the agents the most frequently employed, and the manufacturing importance of a nation can be measured by the consumption which is made of it. —
这是要实现的目标。硫酸是经常使用的试剂之一，一个国家的制造业重要性可以通过其消耗量来衡量。 —

This acid would later be of great use to the settlers, in the manufacturing of candles, tanning skins, etc. —
这种酸以后对定居者在制作蜡烛、鞣皮等方面将大有裨益。 —

, but this time the engineer reserved it for another use.
但是这次工程师保留了它用于其他用途。

Cyrus Harding chose, behind the Chimneys, a site where the ground was perfectly level. —
赛勒斯·哈丁选择了烟囱后面一个地势完全平坦的地点。 —

On this ground he placed a layer of branches and chopped wood, on which were piled some pieces of shistose pyrites, buttressed one against the other, the whole being covered with a thin layer of pyrites, previously reduced to the size of a nut.
在这块地上，他放置了一层树枝和切碎的木头，上面堆放了一些片岩，互相支撑在一起，整个覆盖着一层薄薄的已经磨碎成坚果大小的片岩。

This done, they set fire to the wood, the heat was communicated to the shist, which soon kindled, since it contains coal and sulphur. —
这样做之后，他们点燃木头，热量传递到片岩，由于含有煤和硫磺，片岩很快就燃烧起来。 —

Then new layers of bruised pyrites were arranged so as to form an immense heap, the exterior of which was covered with earth and grass, several air-holes being left, as if it was a stack of wood which was to be carbonized to make charcoal.
然后，新的受伤黄铁矿层被排列起来，形成一个巨大的堆积物，外部覆盖着土壤和草地，留有几个气孔，就像一堆要炭化成木炭的木柴一样。

They then left the transformation to complete itself, and it would not take less than ten or twelve days for the sulphuret of iron to be changed to sulphate of iron and the alumina into sulphate of alumina, two equally soluble substances, the others, flint, burnt coal, and cinders, not being so.
然后他们让变化自行完成，硫化铁需要至少十二天才能转变为硫酸铁，而铝土矿需要转变为硫酸铝，这两种同样可溶的物质，其他的硬化铁矿、烧焦的煤和煤渣无法溶解。

While this chemical work was going on, Cyrus Harding proceeded with other operations, which were pursued with more than zeal,–it was eagerness.
当这项化学工作进行时，赛勒斯·哈丁继续进行其他操作，他们进行得非常急切，甚至可以说是受到鼓舞。

Neb and Pencroft had taken away the fat from the dugong, and placed it in large earthen pots. —
尼布和潘克洛夫把海牛的脂肪取出来放在大陶罐里。 —

It was then necessary to separate the glycerine from the fat by saponifying it. —
接着需要通过皂化反应将甘油从脂肪中分离出来。 —

Now, to obtain this result, it had to be treated either with soda or lime. —
要达到这个目的，脂肪必须处理成碱性或碱性的方式。 —

In fact, one or other of these substances, after having attacked the fat, would form a soap by separating the glycerine, and it was just this glycerine which the engineer wished to obtain. —
事实上，这两种物质分别处理脂肪后会形成皂，分离出甘油，而正是工程师想要得到的甘油。 —

There was no want of lime, only treatment by lime would give calcareous soap, insoluble, and consequently useless, while treatment by soda would furnish, on the contrary, a soluble soap, which could be put to domestic use. —
有足够的石灰，但是用石灰处理会产生不溶解的石灰皂，因此工程师更倾向于用苏打处理，从而获得可溶性皂，可以用于日常生活。 —

Now, a practical man, like Cyrus Harding, would rather try to obtain soda. Was this difficult? No; —
得到苏打难吗？不难。 —

for marine plants abounded on the shore, glass-wort, ficoides, and all those fucaceae which form wrack. —
因为海滩上有大量海洋植物，如盐碱草、叉菜、以及其他形成海带的海草。 —

A large quantity of these plants was collected, first dried, then burnt in holes in the open air. —
收集了大量这些植物，先晾干，再在露天空地的坑里燃烧。 —

The combustion of these plants was kept up for several days, and the result was a compact gray mass, which has been long known under the name of “natural soda.”
这些植物的燃烧持续了几天，结果是一个坚实的灰色块状物，被长期称为“天然苏打”。

This obtained, the engineer treated the fat with soda, which gave both a soluble soap and that neutral substance, glycerine.
得到这个后，工程师用苏打处理脂肪，得到了可溶性皂和中性物质甘油。

But this was not all. Cyrus Harding still needed, in view of his future preparation, another substance, nitrate of potash, which is better known under the name of salt niter, or of saltpeter.
但这还不够。赛勒斯·哈丁还需要另一种物质，硝酸钾，更为人所熟知的是硝石或食盐。

Cyrus Harding could have manufactured this substance by treating the carbonate of potash, which would be easily extracted from the cinders of the vegetables, by azotic acid. —
赛勒斯·哈丁可以通过用硝酸处理碳酸钾，后者可以轻松从植物煤渣中提取出来，制造这种物质。 —

But this acid was wanting, and he would have been in some difficulty, if nature had not happily furnished the saltpeter, without giving them any other trouble than that of picking it up. —
但这种酸却是缺少的，如果大自然没有幸运地提供硝石，他们可能会遇到一些困难，而采集硝石是他们唯一要做的事情。 —

Herbert found a vein of it at the foot of Mount Franklin, and they had nothing to do but purify this salt.
赫伯特在富兰克林山脚下找到了一条矿脉，他们只需提炼这种盐。

These different works lasted a week. They were finished before the transformation of the sulphuret into sulphate of iron had been accomplished. —
这些不同的工作持续了一个星期。在亚硫化物转变为硫酸铁之前就已完成了。 —

During the following days the settlers had time to construct a furnace of bricks of a particular arrangement, to serve for the distillation of the sulphate or iron when it had been obtained. —
接下来的几天内，居民们有时间建造一个特殊设计的砖砌炉，用于蒸馏一旦获得的硫酸铁。 —

All this was finished about the 18th of May, nearly at the time when the chemical transformation terminated. —
这一切在5月18日左右完成，几乎与化学转化结束的时间相同。 —

Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft, skillfully directed by the engineer, had become most clever workmen. —
在工程师熟练指导下，基底斯佩莱特、赫伯特、尼布和潘克罗夫已经成为了娴熟的技工。 —

Before all masters, necessity is the one most listened to, and who teaches the best.
在所有主人之前，必需性是最被关注的，也是最能教导人的。

When the heap of pyrites had been entirely reduced by fire, the result of the operation, consisting of sulphate of iron, sulphate of alumina, flint, remains of coal, and cinders was placed in a basinful of water. —
当所有的硫铁矿剥取干净后，由操作得到的结果，包括铁硫酸盐、铝土硫酸盐、燧石、煤炭残渣和煤渣，被放到一盆水中。 —

They stirred this mixture, let it settle, then decanted it, and obtained a clear liquid containing in solution sulphate of iron and sulphate of alumina, the other matters remaining solid, since they are insoluble. —
他们搅拌这个混合物，让其沉淀，然后倒出清澈的液体，其中溶解了硫酸铁和铝土硫酸盐，其它物质保持固态，因为它们不溶。 —

Lastly, this liquid being partly evaporated, crystals of sulphate of iron were deposited, and the not evaporated liquid, which contained the sulphate of alumina, was thrown away.
最后，这个液体部分蒸发后，硫酸铁结晶沉淀，而没有蒸发的液体，含有铝土硫酸盐，被丢弃。

Cyrus Harding had now at his disposal a large quantity of these sulphate of iron crystals, from which the sulphuric acid had to be extracted. —
现在，赛勒斯·哈丁手头上有大量这些硫酸铁结晶，需要从中提取硫酸。 —

The making of sulphuric acid is a very expensive manufacture. —
制造硫酸的工作是一个非常昂贵的生产。 —

Considerable works are necessary–a special set of tools, an apparatus of platina, leaden chambers, unassailable by the acid, and in which the transformation is performed, etc. —
需要大量的工程–特殊工具，一套铂金设备，一套铅制的室，能够抵抗酸腐蚀，并在其中进行转化等。 —

The engineer had none of these at his disposal, but he knew that, in Bohemia especially, sulphuric acid is manufactured by very simple means, which have also the advantage of producing it to a superior degree of concentration. —
工程师没有这些设备，但他知道，尤其在波西米亚，硫酸是以非常简单的方式生产的，同时也有优势，可以生产出更高浓度的硫酸。 —

It is thus that the acid known under the name of Nordhausen acid is made.
这就是所谓的诺德豪森硫酸的制造方式。

To obtain sulphuric acid, Cyrus Harding had only one operation to make, to calcine the sulphate of iron crystals in a closed vase, so that the sulphuric acid should distil in vapor, which vapor, by condensation, would produce the acid.
要获得硫酸，赛勒斯·哈丁只需进行一个操作，即在封闭的花瓶中煅烧硫酸铁晶体，使硫酸以蒸气形式蒸馏，然后通过冷凝产生硫酸。

The crystals were placed in pots, and the heat from the furnace would distil the sulphuric acid. —
结晶体被放入罐中，熔炉的热量将蒸馏硫酸。 —

The operation was successfully completed, and on the 20th of May, twelve days after commencing it, the engineer was the possessor of the agent which later he hoped to use in so many different ways.
操作成功完成，在5月20日开始后的12天，工程师已经拥有了他希望以多种不同方式使用的剂。

Now, why did he wish for this agent? Simply to produce azotic acid; —
那么，他为什么需要这种剂呢？仅仅是为了产生氮酸； —

and that was easy, since saltpeter, attacked by sulphuric acid, gives azotic, or nitric, acid by distillation.
这很容易，因为硫酸进攻的硝酸钾，通过蒸馏可产生氮酸。

But, after all, how was he going to employ this azotic acid? —
但终究要如何运用这氮酸？ —

His companions were still ignorant of this, for he had not informed them of the result at which he aimed.
他的同伴们仍然不知道这一点，因为他没有告诉他们他的目标结果。

However, the engineer had nearly accomplished his purpose, and by a last operation he would procure the substance which had given so much trouble.
然而，工程师已经接近目的，通过最后的操作，他将获得这种让他费了这么多事的物质。

Taking some azotic acid, he mixed it with glycerine, which had been previously concentrated by evaporation, subjected to the water-bath, and he obtained, without even employing a refrigerant mixture, several pints of an oily yellow mixture.
他拿了一些氮酸，与之前通过蒸发浓缩和经冷却水浴处理的甘油混合，没有运用冷却混合物，他获得了几品脱一种油黄色混合物。

This last operation Cyrus Harding had made alone, in a retired place, at a distance from the Chimneys, for he feared the danger of an explosion, and when he showed a bottle of this liquid to his friends, he contented himself with saying,–
赛勒斯·哈丁孤身一人做了这最后的操作，选择了远离烟囱的隐蔽地点，因为他担心爆炸危险，当他向朋友展示一瓶这种液体时，他只对他们说，

“Here is nitro-glycerine!”
“这里是硝化甘油！”

It was really this terrible production, of which the explosive power is perhaps tenfold that of ordinary powder, and which has already caused so many accidents. —
它真的是这种可怕的产物，其爆炸威力也许是普通火药的十倍，并且已经造成了许多事故。 —

However, since a way has been found to transform it into dynamite, that is to say, to mix with it some solid substance, clay or sugar, porous enough to hold it, the dangerous liquid has been used with some security. —
然而，自从找到了一种方法将其转变为炸药，也就是说，将其与一些固体物质混合，如粘土或糖，足以保持它，这种危险的液体就变得相对安全起来。 —

But dynamite was not yet known at the time when the settlers worked on Lincoln Island.
但是在殖民者们在林肯岛上工作的时候，炸药还没有被发现。

“And is it that liquid that is going to blow up our rocks?” said Pencroft incredulously.
“那个液体是要炸掉我们的岩石吗？”潘克罗夫怀疑地说。

“Yes, my friend,” replied the engineer, “and this nitro-glycerine will produce so much the more effect, as the granite is extremely hard, and will oppose a greater resistance to the explosion.”
“是的，我的朋友，”工程师回答道，“这些硝化甘油将产生更多效果，因为花岗岩非常坚硬，会对爆炸产生更大的阻力。”

“And when shall we see this, captain?”
“船长，我们什么时候能看到这一切？”

“To-morrow, as soon as we have dug a hole for the mine, replied the engineer.”
“明天，一旦我们为炸药挖好一个坑，”工程师回答道。

The next day, the 21st of May, at daybreak, the miners went to the point which formed the eastern shore of Lake Grant, and was only five hundred feet from the coast. —
第二天，5月21日，天一亮，矿工们来到了格兰特湖东岸的一个点，距离海岸只有五百英尺。 —

At this place, the plateau inclined downwards from the waters, which were only restrained by their granite case. —
在这个地方，高原从水域向下倾斜，只被花岗岩的外壳约束着。 —

Therefore, if this case was broken, the water would escape by the opening and form a stream, which, flowing over the inclined surface of the plateau, would rush on to the beach. —
因此，如果打开这个外壳，水便会从开口处逸出并形成一条小溪，顺着高原的倾斜表面流向海滩。 —

Consequently, the level of the lake would be greatly lowered, and the opening where the water escaped would be exposed, which was their final aim.
因此，湖水的水位将大大降低，逸出的开口将显露出来，这是他们的最终目的。

Under the engineer’s directions, Pencroft, armed with a pickaxe, which he handled skillfully and vigorously, attacked the granite. —
在工程师的指导下，拿着一把镐头并且运用得纯熟有力的潘克罗夫，开始攻击花岗岩。 —

The hole was made on the point of the shore, slanting, so that it should meet a much lower level than that of the water of the lake. —
这个洞被挖在海岸的尖端，呈斜角，以便与湖水的水位比差很大。 —

In this way the explosive force, by scattering the rock, would open a large place for the water to rush out.
这样，爆炸的力量通过碎裂岩石，将会打开一个大的空间，让水冲出来。

The work took some time, for the engineer, wishing to produce a great effect, intended to devote not less than seven quarts of nitro-glycerine to the operation. —
工程师打算使用不少于七夸脱的硝化甘油来制造强大效果，所以工作占用了一些时间。 —

But Pencroft, relieved by Neb, did so well, that towards four o’clock in the evening, the mine was finished.
但是潘克罗夫在内布的帮助下工作得非常出色，以至于傍晚四点左右，炸药已经安置好了。

Now the question of setting fire to the explosive substance was raised. —
现在引发爆炸物质的问题被提出。 —

Generally, nitro-glycerine is ignited by caps of fulminate, which in bursting cause the explosion. —
通常，硝化甘油是通过爆炸盖来点燃的，爆炸盖爆炸时引发了爆炸。 —

A shock is therefore needed to produce the explosion, for, simply lighted, this substance would burn without exploding.
因此，需要一个震动来产生爆炸，因为简单点燃这种物质会燃烧而不爆炸。

Cyrus Harding could certainly have fabricated a percussion cap. —
达西斯·哈丁肯定可以制作震荡盖。 —

In default of fulminate, he could easily obtain a substance similar to guncotton, since he had azotic acid at his disposal. —
如果没有火葵，他可以很容易地获得一种类似于火棉的物质，因为他可以利用硝酸。 —

This substance, pressed in a cartridge, and introduced among the nitro-glycerine, would burst by means of a fuse, and cause the explosion.
这种物质被压入一个弹壳，并被引入硝酸甘油中，会通过导火索引爆并引发爆炸。

But Cyrus Harding knew that nitro-glycerine would explode by a shock. —
但是，达西斯·哈丁知道硝酸甘油会因为震动而爆炸。 —

He resolved to employ this means, and try another way, if this did not succeed.
他决定采用这种方式，如果这种方式不成功，他会尝试另一种方式。

In fact, the blow of a hammer on a few drops of nitro-glycerine, spread out on a hard surface, was enough to create an explosion. —
实际上，在坚硬表面上，用锤子击打几滴硝酸甘油就足以造成爆炸。 —

But the operator could not be there to give the blow, without becoming a victim to the operation. —
但操作者不能在那里给予这一击，否则会成为操作的牺牲品。 —

Harding, therefore, thought of suspending a mass of iron, weighing several pounds, by means of a fiber, to an upright just above the mine. —
因此，哈丁想到用一根纤维将一个重达数磅的铁块悬挂在地雷上方的一个竖直物体上。 —

Another long fiber, previously impregnated with sulphur, was attached to the middle of the first, by one end, while the other lay on the ground several feet distant from the mine. —
另一根事先浸泡硫磺的长纤维通过一端连接到第一根纤维的中间，而另一端靠在离地雷数英尺远的地面上。 —

The second fiber being set on fire, it would burn till it reached the first. —
点燃第二根纤维，它会一直燃烧到触及第一根纤维。 —

This catching fire in its turn, would break, and the mass of iron would fall on the nitro-glycerine. This apparatus being then arranged, the engineer, after having sent his companions to a distance, filled the hole, so that the nitro-glycerine was on a level with the opening; —
点燃后，第一根纤维就会断裂，铁块会落在硝酸甘油上。灵机一动，哈丁让同伴们远离事发地点。之后，他填满孔道，以使硝酸甘油与开口齐平。 —

then he threw a few drops of it on the surface of the rock, above which the mass of iron was already suspended.
然后，他在岩石表面上洒几滴硝酸甘油，铁块已经悬挂在其上方。

This done, Harding lit the end of the sulphured fiber, and leaving the place, he returned with his companions to the Chimneys.
完成这一切后，哈丁点燃了浸过硫磺的纤维的一端，然后离开了这个地方，跟同伴们一起回到了烟囱。

The fiber was intended to burn five and twenty minutes, and, in fact, five and twenty minutes afterwards a most tremendous explosion was heard. —
这根纤维被设计燃烧二十五分钟，事实上，二十五分钟之后传来一声巨大的爆炸声。 —

The island appeared to tremble to its very foundation. —
岛屿似乎在地基上颤抖起来。 —

Stones were projected in the air as if by the eruption of a volcano. —
石头如同火山喷发一般被抛向空中。 —

The shock produced by the displacing of the air was such, that the rocks of the Chimneys shook. —
由于空气的位移所引起的冲击力震动着烟囱的岩石。 —

The settlers, although they were more than two miles from the mine, were thrown on the ground.
移民们虽然距矿井超过两英里，却被震倒在地。

They rose, climbed the plateau, and ran towards the place where the bank of the lake must have been shattered by the explosion.
他们站起来，爬上高原，朝着湖岸被爆炸摧毁的地方跑去。

A cheer escaped them! A large rent was seen in the granite! —
他们发出欢呼声！花岗岩上出现了一条巨大的裂缝！ —

A rapid stream of water rushed foaming across the plateau and dashed down a height of three hundred feet on to the beach!
一股急流涌过高原，白浪滔滔地冲向三百英尺高的海滩！