Won from the Waves — Page 7
As one of the men was hurrying off to carry this order to the rest, a heavier blast than before came across the ocean.
Mentre uno degli uomini si affrettava a portare quest'ordine agli altri, una raffica più violenta di prima attraversò l'oceano.
It had the effect of rending the veil of mist in two, and the rain ceasing, the keen eyes of the fishermen distinguished in the offing two ships running towards the land, the one a short distance ahead of the other, which was firing at her from her bow-chasers, the leading and smaller vessel returning the fire with her after guns, and apparently determined either to gain a sheltering harbour or to run on shore rather than be taken.
Ebbe l'effetto di squarciare in due il velo di nebbia, e cessata la pioggia, gli occhi acuti dei pescatori distinsero al largo due navi che correvano verso la terra, l'una a breve distanza davanti all'altra, che le sparava con i cannoni di prua, mentre la nave di testa, la più piccola, rispondeva al fuoco con i cannoni di poppa, evidentemente decisa o a raggiungere un porto sicuro o a incagliarsi piuttosto che essere catturata.
The moment that revealed her to the spectators showed those on board how near she was to the shore, though evidently they were not aware of the still nearer danger of the treacherous sandbank.
Il momento in cui si rivelò agli spettatori mostrò a coloro che erano a bordo quanto fosse vicina alla riva, sebbene evidentemente non fossero a conoscenza del pericolo ancora più vicino del traditore banco di sabbia.
An exclamation of dismay and pity escaped those who were looking at her.
Un'esclamazione di sgomento e pietà sfuggì a coloro che la stavano osservando.
"If she had been half a mile to the nor'ard she might have stood through Norton Gut and been safe," observed Halliburt; "but if she is a stranger there is little chance of her hauling off in time to escape the sands."
«Se fosse stata mezzo miglio a nord avrebbe potuto passare per Norton Gut ed essere al sicuro», osservò Halliburt; «ma se è una forestiera ci sono poche possibilità che riesca ad allontanarsi in tempo per evitare i banchi di sabbia».
While he was speaking, the sternmost ship was seen to come to the wind; her yards were braced up, and now, apparently aware of her danger, she endeavoured to stand off the land before the rising gale should render the undertaking impossible.
Mentre parlava, si vide la nave più arretrata orzare; le sue antenne furono bracchettate, e ora, apparentemente consapevole del suo pericolo, cercò di allontanarsi dalla terra prima che la bufera crescente rendesse l'impresa impossibile.
The hard-pressed chase directly afterwards attempted to follow her example.
La nave inseguita e pressata tentò subito dopo di seguirne l'esempio.
Vocabulary
- Mentre
- While, during the time that
- uno
- One, a single person or thing
- degli
- Of the, some (plural contraction)
- uomini
- Men, plural of uomo
- si
- Himself, herself, oneself (reflexive pronoun)
- affrettava
- Hurried, rushed to do something quickly
- portare
- To carry, to bring, to wear
- ordine
- Order, command, sequence, arrangement
- agli
- To the (plural contraction)
- altri
- Others, other people or things
- una
- A, an (feminine singular article)
- raffica
- Burst, gust of wind, volley
- più
- More, most (comparative/superlative)
- violenta
- Violent, forceful, intense or severe
- di
- Of, from, by (preposition)
- prima
- Before, first, previously in time
- attraversò
- Crossed, went across or through
- oceano
- Ocean, large body of salt water
- effetto
- Effect, result, consequence of action
- squarciare
- To tear, to rip or split open
- in
- In, into, within (preposition)
- due
- Two, the number 2
- il
- The (masculine singular article)
- velo
- Veil, thin covering or cloth
- nebbia
- Fog, mist or haze in air
- cessata
- Ceased, stopped or ended (feminine)
- la
- The (feminine singular article)
- pioggia
- Rain, water falling from clouds
- gli
- The, him, to him (masculine)
- occhi
- Eyes, organs of sight (plural)
- acuti
- Sharp, acute, keen or pointed
- dei
- Of the, some (plural contraction)
- pescatori
- Fishermen, people who catch fish
- distinsero
- Distinguished, made out or discerned clearly
- al
- To the, at the (contraction)
- largo
- Far off, at a distance away
- navi
- Ships, large vessels for sea travel
- che
- That, which, who (relative pronoun)
- correvano
- Ran, moved quickly or raced forward
- verso
- Toward, in the direction of
- terra
- Land, earth, ground or soil
- breve
- Brief, short in duration or length
- distanza
- Distance, space between two points
- davanti
- In front, ahead in space direction
- all
- To the (contraction of alla)
- altra
- Other, another (feminine singular)
- le
- The, her, them (feminine plural)
- sparava
- Fired, shot weapons or guns
- con
- With, accompanied by or together
- cannoni
- Cannons, large guns or artillery pieces
- prua
- Bow, front part of a ship
- nave
- Ship, vessel for sea travel
- testa
- Head, front part or beginning
- piccola
- Small, little, tiny or diminutive
- rispondeva
- Responded, replied or answered back
- fuoco
- Fire, flames or gunfire discharge
- poppa
- Stern, rear part of a ship
- evidentemente
- Obviously, clearly or apparently evident
- decisa
- Determined, decided or resolved (feminine)
- raggiungere
- To reach, to arrive at destination
- porto
- Port, harbor for ships and boats
- sicuro
- Safe, secure or protected from danger
- incagliarsi
- To run aground, to beach a ship
- piuttosto
- Rather, preferably or instead of
- essere
- To be, to exist or have identity
- catturata
- Captured, seized or taken prisoner
- Il
- The (masculine singular article capitalized)
- momento
- Moment, brief period of time
- cui
- Which, whom, to which relative
- rivelò
- Revealed, disclosed or showed openly
- spettatori
- Spectators, viewers or audience members watching
- mostrò
- Showed, displayed or demonstrated clearly
- coloro
- Those, those people or individuals
- erano
- Were, past tense of essere
- bordo
- Board, edge or side of ship
- quanto
- How much, as much, what amount
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