美國語文第五冊 第226期：捕捉野馬（02）
The whole had the appearance of a broad, beautiful tract of pasture land,
牧場景色美麗寥廓，和諧安謐，
on the highly ornamented estate of some gentleman farmer, with his cattle grazing about the lawns and meadows.
宛如不失紳士優(yōu)雅風(fēng)度的農(nóng)夫，從容悠閑地放牧他的牛群，好一派濃郁迷人的田園風(fēng)光。
A council of war was now held, and it was determined to profit by the present favorable opportunity,
就如何捕捉這群野馬，我們召開了戰(zhàn)前會，抓住目前有利機(jī)遇乃是上策，
and try our hand at the grand hunting maneuver which is called “ringing the wild horse.”
采取最為有效的捕獵計(jì)謀，即通常所說的“打圍野馬”。
This requires a large party of horsemen, well mounted.
這一計(jì)劃不僅需要相當(dāng)多的騎手，且需騎手技藝超群，
They extend themselves in each direction, at a certain distance apart,
還須擁有不同角度條件下駕馭控制馬的過人能力,甚至離馬相當(dāng)距離也能游刃有余地掌控身體的超凡騎術(shù)
and gradually form a ring of two or three miles in circumference, so as to surround the game.
這樣，才能從兩三英里外形成包圍圈圍住馬群。
This must be done with extreme care, for the wild horse is the most readily alarmed inhabitant of the prairie,
這種打圍需要極度謹(jǐn)慎小心，因?yàn)橐榜R對草原原住民最為警覺，
and can scent a hunter a great distance, if to windward.
如果順風(fēng)，很遠(yuǎn)都能嗅到獵人的氣味。
The ring being formed, two or three ride toward the horses, which start off in an opposite direction.
包圍圈一旦形成，兩三個(gè)騎手就沖向馬群，最初沖擊方向往往與最后打圍方向相反，
Whenever they approach the bounds of the ring, however, a huntsman presents himself, and turns them from their course.
直到騎手抵達(dá)包圍圈邊界，獵人才最終出現(xiàn)。
In this way they are checked, and driven back at every point, and kept galloping round and round this magic circle,
這種方式逼迫馬群偏轉(zhuǎn)原來路線，馬群在每一設(shè)伏點(diǎn)皆受到攔阻驅(qū)逐，因此它們就會圍繞騎手布下的神奇圍圈不停地飛奔疾馳，
until, being completely tired down, it is easy for hunters to ride up beside them and throw the lariat over their heads.
直到徹底精疲力竭。這時(shí)，獵人們才飛奔上馬，疾馳飛奔中扔出套索，緊緊地套牢馬匹。
