HC-L24_Rachel’s Journal

# Lesson 24 《第24課》
## Vocabulary in Context 《在語境中學單字》

開始囉：開始囉：

mishap（小意外；小失誤）mishap（小意外；小失誤）

These hikers took a wrong turn by accident. They were lost due to the mishap.這些健行者不小心走錯了路。因為這個小意外(mishap)，他們迷路了。

下一個：下一個：

rustling（沙沙作響聲）rustling（沙沙作響聲）

A rustling in nearby brush can worry you. Look for the sound's cause, and stay calm.附近灌木叢傳來沙沙作響的聲音(rustling)可能會讓你擔心。找出聲音的來源，並保持冷靜。

下一個：下一個：

lectured（講解；說明）lectured（講解；說明）

This ranger lectured, or explained, about the importance of staying on the trail.這位巡山員講解(lectured)，也就是說明了待在步道上的重要性。

下一個：下一個：

beacon（指引物；信號標誌）beacon（指引物；信號標誌）

A tall object in the distance can serve as a beacon to guide you to a familiar area.遠方高大的物體可以當作指引標誌(beacon)，帶領你找到熟悉的地方。

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torment（痛苦；苦惱）torment（痛苦；苦惱）

This girl suffered torment, or distress, because she couldn't find her homework.這個女孩因為找不到她的作業而感到痛苦和苦惱(torment)。

下一個：下一個：

disadvantage（不利條件；劣勢）disadvantage（不利條件；劣勢）

Losing the trail was a disadvantage, or handicap, to finding camp before dark.在天黑前找到營地這件事，因為迷失步道而變得處於不利(disadvantage)的情況。

下一個：下一個：

balked（停下不前；拒絕前進）balked（停下不前；拒絕前進）

This woman balked, or refused to move, after realizing she was lost.這位女士發現自己迷路後，停下不前(balked)，不願意繼續移動。

下一個：下一個：

quaking（顫抖）quaking（顫抖）

You may start quaking, or trembling, when you're lost. Your body expresses fear that way.當你迷路時，可能會開始顫抖(quaking)。這是身體表現害怕的一種方式。

下一個：下一個：

fared（進展；情況變好）fared（進展；情況變好）

Once he was rescued, this boy slept and ate. He fared, or progressed, better after that.這個男孩獲救後睡了覺，也吃了東西。之後他的情況逐漸好轉(fared)。

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# Rachel's Journal THE STORY OF A PIONEER GIRL by Marissa Moss selection illustrated by Megan Halsey 《Rachel的日記：一位拓荒女孩的故事》作者：Marissa Moss（節選），插畫：Megan Halsey
## ESSENTIAL QUESTION 《核心問題》

Why would a pioneer traveler record events in a journal?為什麼拓荒旅行者會把發生的事情記錄在日記裡呢？

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It has been two months since Rachel's family left Illinois in a wagon train bound for good farmland in California.自從Rachel的家人跟著馬車隊離開Illinois，前往California尋找肥沃的農地以來，已經過了兩個月。  
During the long ride, Rachel spends time with her brothers Ben and Will, as well as Frank and Prudence, children from other families in the wagon train.在漫長的旅途中，Rachel除了和她的兄弟Ben和Will相處，也和馬車隊裡其他家庭的孩子Frank和Prudence一起玩、一起待著。  
She writes about their adventures in her journal.她把他們的冒險經歷寫進她的日記裡。

May 10, 18501850年5月10日

Pa says we are taking the Oregon Trail until it splits and we veer south for California.爸爸說，我們會沿著Oregon Trail走，直到這條路分岔，然後我們會轉向南邊，前往California。  
Now we are following the Platte River.現在我們正沿著Platte River前進。  
The sight of the broad river and the bluffs is restful, but the dust kicked up by all the stock is not.看著寬闊的河流和峭壁讓人覺得很平靜，但所有牲畜揚起的灰塵就不讓人舒服了。  
Especially when our wagons are in the rear—then it is so thick, I can barely see past our own teams.尤其是當我們的馬車排在隊伍後面時——灰塵濃到我幾乎看不見我們自己拉車的馬隊前方。  
But I found a way to escape the heat and dirt of the main road.不過我找到一個方法，可以躲開大路上的炎熱和髒污。  
All along the trail there are narrow cut-off paths.沿著這條路一路上，都有一些狹窄的捷徑小路。  
Pa says they were made and used by Indians and hunters.爸爸說，這些小路是印第安人和獵人開出來、也常走的路。  
These cut-offs run diagonally to the road and are often by shady creeks, so they are pleasant to walk along.這些捷徑通常斜斜地連到大路旁，而且常常靠近有樹蔭的小溪，所以走起來很舒服。  
Since they always lead back to the trail, there is no need to fret about getting lost.因為它們最後總會接回原本的路，所以不用擔心會迷路。  
The boys have to drive the stock, so they have no choice but to eat dust, but I take the younger children with me, and we have great fun, picking berries and wildflowers and wading in the creeks.男孩子得趕著牲畜走，所以他們只能一路吃灰塵；但我會帶著比較小的孩子跟我一起走，我們玩得很開心，採莓果、摘野花，還在小溪裡涉水走來走去。

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May 16, 18501850年5月16日

Today I had my first adventure.今天我遇到了我的第一次冒險。  
We had been walking on the cut-off for 2-3 hours, traveling upstream into a deep canyon.我們沿著捷徑走了兩到三個小時，逆著溪流往上游走，進到一個很深的峽谷裡。  
The trail was not only out of sight, but out of earshot as well.那條大路不只看不見了，連聲音也聽不到了。

I liked feeling alone, but Emma fretted that we were lost and the twins were tired, whining that a jouncing wagon ride would be better than tramping on.我喜歡自己一個人的感覺，但 Emma 很擔心我們迷路了，而那對雙胞胎也累了，一直抱怨說，坐在顛簸的馬車上都比繼續走路還好。

I tried to cheer everyone by singing "Turkey in the Straw" when we heard a rustling in the bushes.我正想唱《Turkey in the Straw》來讓大家開心一點，這時我們聽見灌木叢裡傳來沙沙的聲音。

Something much larger than a turkey—Indians!有個東西比火雞大得多——印第安人！

Frank pulled out his little knife, all fierceness, but I hushed him and went to look for myself. (All quaking inside, I admit, but I could not let them see that!)Frank 抽出他的小刀，一副很凶的樣子，但我叫他安靜，然後自己走去看。（我承認我心裡其實怕得發抖，可是我不能讓他們看出來！）

And what should I see when I parted the bushes with trembling hand?當我用發抖的手撥開灌木叢時，我看見了什麼呢？

The moist snout of a very content ox, chomping on leaves.一頭看起來很滿足的牛，正用牠濕濕的鼻子探出來，咀嚼著樹葉。

Somebody must have lost him.一定是有人把牠弄丟了。

If it had been an Indian, Frank declared, he would have protected us.如果那真的是印第安人，Frank 說他會保護我們。

I hope we have no such need.我希望我們永遠不需要那樣。

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That was just the beginning of our adventure.那只是我們冒險的開始。

When the cut-off reached the trail, there was no sign of our train, either ahead or behind.當這條捷徑接回原本的路時，前後都看不到我們的車隊。

There was nothing for it but to continue on the cut-off in the hopes of coming out ahead of our wagons soon.我們別無選擇，只能繼續走這條捷徑，希望很快就能在前面追上馬車。

On and on we walked.我們一直一直走下去。

Frank and Emma never complained, nor did little Caroline, but those twins whined worse than the mosquitoes.Frank 和 Emma 都沒有抱怨，小小的 Caroline 也沒有，可是那對雙胞胎的哀號比蚊子還吵。

Still we found no wagons.可是我們還是沒有找到馬車。

The sun set, the buffalo wolves started in to howl, and it was too dark to see the trail before us.太陽下山了，草原狼開始嚎叫，天黑到我們看不清前面的路。

I would have sat down in the darkness and cried, but I had to take care of the others.我真想在黑暗中坐下來大哭，可是我必須照顧其他人。

Then I recalled what Ben had said about looking for a high view point if you get lost, so I urged everyone up a hill before us.這時我想起 Ben 說過，迷路時要找高一點的地方看一看，所以我催大家爬上前面那座小山。

It was not very high, but we were rewarded with the sight of 3 campfires.那座山不高，但我們的回報是看見了三堆營火。

Since our train is not large, we headed for the smallest one, going straight across country.因為我們的車隊不大，所以我們朝最小的那堆火走去，直接穿越野地抄近路過去。

We barged through brambles and sloshed through creeks, but we always kept that light in view, like the beacon of a lighthouse.我們硬闖過荊棘叢，也踩進小溪裡濺得濕答答，但我們一直把那道火光留在視線裡，就像燈塔的指引燈一樣。

At last I was greeted with the welcome sight of Prudence nibbling bacon.終於，我看見令人安心的畫面：Prudence 正在小口咬著培根。

I could not help but embrace her, though she did not appreciate my smudged arms and dress.我忍不住抱住她，雖然她一點也不喜歡我手臂和衣服上髒兮兮的污漬。

In fact, she was so startled by our abrupt appearance, she screamed as if we were ghosts or Indians.其實，她被我們突然冒出來嚇到，尖叫得好像我們是鬼或印第安人一樣。

Mrs. Arabella Sunshine, Mrs. Elias, and Mother were first joyous, then mad.阿拉貝拉．桑夏恩太太、伊萊亞斯太太和 Mother 一開始很高興，接著又氣得要命。

In between hugging me and scrubbing my face, Mother scolded.Mother 一邊抱我、一邊幫我把臉洗乾淨，還一邊罵我。

Now I cannot take cut-offs after the noon break.現在中午休息之後，我不能再走捷徑了。

That means swallowing dust in the hottest part of the day.那就表示在一天最熱的時候，我們得一路吃灰塵。

At least we still have the mornings.至少我們還有早上。

右下角：右下角：

The bacon and coffee smelled wonderful!培根和咖啡聞起來好香！

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May 23, 18501850 年 5 月 23 日

Now we are not permitted ever to walk along the cut-offs! 現在我們再也不被允許走那些捷徑小路了！  
Not that we got lost today—something much more exciting happened. 不是因為我們今天迷路了——而是發生了更刺激的事。  
Once again we were out of sight of the train, singing as we strolled, when an Indian brave came riding straight at us. 我們又一次走到看不見隊伍的地方，一邊散步一邊唱歌，這時有一位印第安勇士騎著馬，直直地朝我們過來。  
I was so amazed to see a true Indian, I forgot to be frightened. 我太驚訝竟然真的看到一位印第安人，反而忘了害怕。  
We all stood staring at him (though Frank once again reached for his knife—I hissed at him to leave it be, no sense asking for trouble). 我們全都站著盯著他看（不過 Frank 又伸手去摸他的刀——我小聲嘶嘶地叫他別動，沒必要自找麻煩）。  
The twins hid behind my skirt, and the others huddled around me when the brave rode up to us and leapt off his pony. 雙胞胎躲到我的裙子後面，其他孩子也擠到我身邊；那位勇士騎到我們面前，從他的小馬上跳下來。  
You could have heard a pin drop! 安靜到連一根針掉在地上都聽得見！  
He stepped toward me and said something, then held his hand straight out. 他朝我走過來，說了些話，然後把手直直伸出來。  
I did not know what else to do, but shake it, so I did. 我不知道還能怎麼辦，只好跟他握手，所以我就握了。  
And that was exactly what he wanted! 而那正是他想要的！  
He offered his hand to each child. 他也把手伸給每一個孩子。  
Even Frank shook it, grinning so broadly his mouth looked like he had swallowed an ear of corn whole. 連 Frank 也跟他握手，笑得嘴巴張得好大，看起來像把一整根玉米直接吞下去一樣。

The brave knew some English, and he clearly thought we were lost. 那位勇士懂一些英文，而且他顯然以為我們迷路了。  
He asked if I knew where our wagon was. 他問我知不知道我們的馬車在哪裡。  
I nodded yes. 我點頭說知道。  
Satisfied that we were not in trouble, he got back on his pony, waved good-bye, and rode off. 確定我們沒有遇到麻煩之後，他又騎回他的小馬上，揮手道別，然後騎走了。  
It was all over in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. 整件事一下子就結束了，快得不得了。  
After all the horrible stories we had heard about Indians, we had a story of our own to tell and a pretty funny one at that. 聽過那麼多關於印第安人的可怕故事之後，現在我們也有自己的故事可以講了，而且還是個滿好笑的故事。  
Only somehow when the adults heard of our meeting, they were not amused. 可是不知道為什麼，大人們聽到我們的遭遇後，一點也不覺得好笑。  
Instead they lectured us on all the awful things that might have happened. 相反地，他們訓了我們一頓，說了好多可能發生的可怕事情。  
And so the cut-offs are forbidden from now on. 所以從今以後，那些捷徑小路都禁止走了。

請看下側文字： 下方文字請看：  
Figurative Language Authors sometimes use hyperbole, or exaggeration, to make a point or to describe something. 比喻性語言　作者有時會用「誇張法」（hyperbole），也就是誇大其詞，來強調重點或描述某件事。  
For example, Rachel says, "You could have heard a pin drop." 例如，Rachel 說：「You could have heard a pin drop.（安靜到連針掉下去都聽得見。）」  
What does this tell you about how quiet it was when the brave approached the children? 這句話告訴你，當那位勇士走近孩子們時，現場有多安靜呢？

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It's hard keeping this journal dry—I do my best. 要讓這本日記保持乾燥好難——我已經盡力了。  
My shoes are so caked with mud, they are more mud pie than footwear. 我的鞋子沾滿厚厚的泥巴，簡直比較像泥巴派，而不是鞋子。

May 30, 1850 1850年5月30日

It has rained for days, which has the benefit of keeping down the dust but the disadvantage of turning the trail into an enormous puddle. 已經下了好幾天雨，好處是可以把灰塵壓下去，但壞處是把路變成一個超大的水坑。  
Despite our cover claiming to be watertight, everything is soaked through. 雖然我們的遮蓋物說是防水的，但所有東西還是全都濕透了。  
The Platte is swollen and wild. Platte 河水暴漲，水勢又急又亂。  
I am relieved we do not have to ford it. 我很慶幸我們不用涉水渡河。  
Pa says we will reach the government ferry tomorrow. Pa 說我們明天會到政府的渡船口。

Sunbonnets are definitely not meant for rain, 太陽帽（sunbonnets）絕對不是拿來淋雨用的，  
unless you find a sopping curtain before your face desirable—I do not! 除非你喜歡在臉前面掛著一塊濕答答的布簾——我可不喜歡！

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June 7, 1850 1850年6月7日

The prairie is so low and the sky so close that in a storm you feel the clouds pressing down on you. 大草原非常平坦、地勢很低，天空又像離得很近，所以暴風雨來的時候，你會覺得雲好像壓在你身上一樣。

Yesterday was the first time I truly felt scared.昨天是我第一次真正感到害怕。  
Getting lost, howling wolves, Indians—nothing compares to the fury of this river!迷路、嚎叫的狼、印第安人——都比不上這條河的狂暴可怕！  
We arrived at the ferry only to discover that it had broken loose of its moorings when the rains started.我們抵達渡口時才發現，一開始下雨，渡船就從繫著的地方脫開了。  
Some men finally retrieved it, but it took so long that an enormous line of wagons waited ahead of us to take the ferry.有些男人終於把渡船找回來，可是花了太久時間，結果我們前面已經排了超長一大列馬車在等著搭渡船。  
The man said it would be 3 weeks before our turn came.那個人說，要等到輪到我們，得三個星期。  
Mr. Elias warned that we were already behind schedule and such a long delay would surely mean crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the snow.Mr. Elias 警告說，我們本來就已經落後行程了，拖延這麼久，一定會變成在下雪時翻越 Sierra Nevada Mountains。  
No one wants to suffer the fate of the Donner Party, frozen and starving in the mountains.沒有人想遭遇 Donner Party 那樣的命運——在山裡又冷又餓，最後被困住。  
Mr. Elias determined that we should take the wagons off their wheel beds and raft them over the river.Mr. Elias 決定，我們應該把馬車從車架上拆下來，用筏子把它們運過河。  
The current was swift and the banks like quicksand, but there was no other way.水流很急，河岸像流沙一樣，但我們沒有別的辦法。  
Both Sunshine families balked at the danger and refused to go first.兩戶 Sunshine 家的人都被危險嚇到，不肯先過河。  
Mr. Elias offered to cross, but he has young children, so Pa suggested we go.Mr. Elias 提出他願意先過河，可是他有年幼的孩子，所以 Pa 建議由我們先過。  
Mother's face was drawn tight, but she nodded.Mother 的臉繃得緊緊的，但她點了點頭。  
Ben and Will stayed behind to drive the stock over, so Pa, Mother, and I each took a pole to make our way across.Ben 和 Will 留在後面趕牲畜過河，所以 Pa、Mother 和我各拿了一根長竿，設法撐著過去。  
The waves were high and it was hard to keep from tipping.浪很高，要不翻倒真的很難。  
Twice I almost fell in.我差點掉進水裡兩次。  
The second time I lost my pole and clung on to the wagon hoops, not much help to anyone after that.第二次我把長竿弄丟了，只好緊抓著馬車的弓形支架，之後就幫不上什麼忙了。  
Somehow we landed.不知怎麼的，我們終於上岸了。  
My knuckles were white from holding so tightly to the hoops, but Mother's face was even paler.我因為抓得太用力，指節都發白了，但 Mother 的臉色更蒼白。  
What a relief to be on land again!能再次站在陸地上，真是太讓人鬆一口氣了！

The worst part was trying to avoid the sandy islands in the middle of the broad river.最糟的是要閃開那條寬闊河流中間的沙洲小島。  
I could not steer worth a bean.我根本不會掌舵（怎麼轉都轉不好）。

請看下側文字：請看下方文字：  

Point of View The author uses first-person point of view to tell this story. How does it affect the way the crossing of the river is described?  
**觀點** 作者用第一人稱來講這個故事。這會怎麼影響「渡河」這段的描述方式呢？

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The others followed with no mishap.其他人也跟著過河，都很順利，沒有出意外。  
(And Frank declared that he was not scared, not a bit. I do not credit that!)（而 Frank 說他一點也不害怕。這話我才不相信呢！）  
Only the stock still had to be driven over.只剩下牲口還得趕過河。  
Ben and Will, along with Samuel, John, Daniel, and Jesse, rounded up all 115 head of cattle and drove them to the river, but they refused to go in.Ben 和 Will，還有 Samuel、John、Daniel、Jesse，把 115 頭牛都趕到河邊，但牠們就是不肯下水。  
They had no idea of the dangers of the Sierras, but they could plainly see the dangers of the Platte.牠們不知道 Sierra 山脈有多危險，但牠們很清楚看得出 Platte 河的危險。  
Three times the boys gathered the cattle together only to have them split and stampede at the water's edge.男孩們把牛群集合起來三次，結果每次牛群都在水邊分散，還驚慌地亂衝亂跑。  
It was getting dark, and it looked like we would have to camp on opposite shores when Will decided he had stood enough, he would make those cattle cross.天快黑了，看起來我們可能得分別在河的兩岸露營；這時 Will 決定他受夠了，他一定要讓那些牛過河。  
He rode next to Bo, the lead herd ox, and just as the stubborn animal reached the banks, Will leapt from his horse onto Bo's back, clung to his horns, and, kicking and screaming, drove that ox into the river.他騎馬靠近 Bo——領頭的公牛；就在那頭固執的牛走到河岸時，Will 從馬背一跳跳到 Bo 的背上，緊抓住牠的牛角，又踢又喊，硬是把那頭牛趕進河裡。  
And it worked!結果竟然成功了！  
Bo started swimming across and all the stock followed.Bo 開始游向對岸，所有牲口也跟著下水。  
Safe on the other side, Will jumped off Bo and looked back to see his own horse foundering in the water.到了對岸安全的地方後，Will 從 Bo 背上跳下來，回頭一看，發現自己的馬在水裡載浮載沉、快撐不住了。  
His foreleg had gotten tangled up in the loose reins.牠的前腳被鬆掉的韁繩纏住了。  
Will rushed into the water to free his horse just as a clap of thunder split the sky open.Will 立刻衝進水裡要救馬，正好此時一聲巨雷彷彿把天空劈開。  
Lightning flashed with an eerie brightness followed by pitch black and the deafening roll of thunder.閃電發出詭異的亮光，接著又變得一片漆黑，然後是震耳欲聾、隆隆作響的雷聲。  

In the dark we could not see Will, but his horse clambered safely onto shore.在黑暗中我們看不到 Will，但他的馬掙扎著爬上岸，平安了。  
When the next lightning flashed, Pa cried out that Will had made it to a sandbar in the river.下一次閃電亮起時，Pa 喊出來：Will 到了河中的一處沙洲上。  
Whether he was dead or alive, no one could say, and while the storm raged, no one dared swim out to rescue him.他到底是死是活，沒人說得準；而且暴風雨正猛烈，誰也不敢游出去救他。  

請看下側文字：請看下面的文字：  

**Cause and Effect** There are several factors that cause Will to become stuck on the sandbar in the river. What are they?  
**原因與結果** 有好幾個因素造成 Will 被困在河中的沙洲上。它們是什麼？  

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That was a miserable and awful night!那真是一個又痛苦又可怕的夜晚！  
It was total confusion—thunder booming, oxen bellowing, children crying, men shouting, as light as day one minute, as dark as a cave the next.現場一片大亂——雷聲轟隆作響，牛隻哞哞叫，孩子哭泣，大人喊叫；前一分鐘亮得像白天，下一分鐘又黑得像山洞。  
Add to that the torment of not knowing how poor Will fared and feeling utterly helpless to do anything for him.再加上我們不知道可憐的 Will 情況如何，那種折磨，以及對他完全無能為力的感覺。  
All we could do was huddle together, a pile of drenched human rags, as the men worked blindly to control the stock.我們能做的只有縮在一起，像一堆被淋濕的人形破布；男人們則摸黑努力控制牲口。  

At dawn the storm quieted, and Pa rushed into the churning river and brought back Will's limp body.天亮時風暴稍微平息，Pa 衝進翻騰的河水裡，把 Will 軟綿綿的身體帶了回來。  
He was so pale and still, I thought sure he was dead.他臉色蒼白又一動也不動，我以為他一定死了。  
Pa started rubbing him down.Pa 開始用力搓揉他的身體。  
When at last he opened his eyes, the whole company cheered.最後他終於張開眼睛時，整隊人都歡呼起來。  
He was alive!他還活著！  
I have never been so proud—nor so scared.我從來沒有這麼驕傲——也從來沒有這麼害怕過。  

I never thought I would be so happy to see the sun rise.我從沒想過，看到太陽升起我會這麼開心。  

June 15, 1850  
1850 年 6 月 15 日  

We took some days' rest to wash everything and dry it out, to put the wagons back together and repair them, to coddle Will and return him to his usual good health.我們休息了幾天，把所有東西洗乾淨、晾乾，把馬車重新整理好並修理，也細心照顧 Will，讓他恢復到平常健康的樣子。  
We are fortunate no one drowned in that crossing.我們很幸運，這次渡河沒有人溺死。  
There are several new graves of men who died that way, and we heard that in a wagon train near ours, a woman was killed by lightning.有好幾座新墳，埋的是用那種方式死去的人；我們也聽說在離我們不遠的一隊馬車隊裡，有個女人被雷劈死。  
Will has always claimed to live a charmed life, and now I believe him.Will 一直說自己命很好、像被幸運保護著一樣，現在我相信他說的了。  

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June 20, 1850  
1850 年 6 月 20 日

A different kind of storm passed by us today—a herd of buffalo.今天有一種不一樣的「暴風」從我們身邊掠過——一大群野牛。It was as if the river had leapt out of its banks and taken solid form to chase us down.就好像河水衝出河岸，變成了有形的東西，要追著我們跑一樣。A thick cloud of dust surged toward us, then there was a tremendous noise, an earthly thunder.一大團濃厚的塵土朝我們湧來，接著是一陣驚天動地的巨響，像地面上的雷聲。We could see their shaggy backs rising and falling like a great wave.我們看得見牠們毛茸茸的背一上一下起伏，就像一個巨大的浪。Nothing could turn back such a force, so we hastily pulled the wagons close together while the boys drove the stock away—for once a cow or an ox is caught up in a buffalo stampede, it is gone for good, part of a new wild herd.沒有任何東西能擋得住這種力量，所以我們趕緊把馬車拉近靠在一起，同時男孩們把牲口趕走——因為一旦有牛或公牛被捲進野牛的狂奔踩踏裡，就會永遠不見，變成新的野生牛群中的一分子。

The buffalo hooves raised such a cloud of dust that though I tried to hold in my breath, my throat and tongue were coated with grit.野牛的蹄子揚起了超大的塵土雲，雖然我努力憋住氣，但我的喉嚨和舌頭還是沾滿了砂粒。I could taste them pounding past!我甚至嚐得到牠們踏地衝過去的味道！The cloud was so big, it blotted out the sun like a buffalo eclipse.那團塵雲大到把太陽都遮住了，就像一場「野牛日食」。

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We cowered in the wagons and watched them come closer and closer.我們縮在馬車裡，眼睜睜看著牠們越來越近。Mother tried to keep me back, but I wanted to see them as best I could.媽媽想把我拉回去，但我還是想盡可能看清楚牠們。After all, if they plowed into us I would not be any safer in the middle of the wagon than in the front.畢竟，如果牠們直接衝撞過來，我待在馬車中間也不會比待在前面更安全。So I poked my head out into the whirling dust storm.所以我把頭探進那不停旋轉的塵土風暴裡。I could see their rolling eyes and flaring nostrils, but Will must have brought us some of his charmed luck, and the massive beasts thundered by and not through us.我看得到牠們轉動的眼睛和張大的鼻孔，但一定是 Will 帶給了我們一些他的好運，那些龐大的野獸轟隆隆地從我們旁邊奔過，而不是從我們身上衝過去。I have seen cattle stampede, but this was different—buffalo are so big and so wild.我看過牛群狂奔踩踏，但這次不一樣——野牛又大又野。I wished I could run after them.我真希望我能追著牠們跑。

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