Even less likely, Ned. The devilfish is merely a mollusk, and even this name hints at its semiliquid flesh, because it's Latin meaning soft one.
尼德蘭,那更不對了。章魚是軟體動物,單是這個名字就已經(jīng)表明它的肌肉一點也不堅強。
The devilfish doesn't belong to the vertebrate branch, and even if it were 500 feet long,
就是章魚有五百英尺長,它也不會屬于脊推動物這一門,
it would still be utterly harmless to ships like the Scotia or the Abraham Lincoln.
它對于斯各脫亞號或林肯號這類的船,決不至有損害的。
Consequently, the feats of krakens or other monsters of that ilk must be relegatedto the realm of fiction.
所以有關(guān)這類海怪或怪物的事跡,都應(yīng)當看作是荒唐無稽之談。
So, Mr. Naturalist, Ned Land continued in a bantering tone, you'll just keep on believing in the existence of some enormous cetacean?
那么,生物學(xué)專家,尼德。蘭帶著點譏誚的口氣說,您是堅持有巨大鯨魚類動物的存在嗎?
Yes, Ned, I repeat it with a conviction backed by factual logic. I believe in the existence of a mammal with a powerful constitution,
是的,尼德蘭,我再說一遍,我所以相信,我是有事實根據(jù)的。我相信海中有一種哺乳類動物存在,
belonging to the vertebrate branch like baleen whales, sperm whales, or dolphins, and armed with a tusk made of horn that has tremendous penetrating power.
它的軀體組織十分堅實,屬于脊椎動物門,像長須鯨、大頭鯨或海豚,一樣,并且有一個角質(zhì)的長牙,鉆穿的力量十分大。
Humph! the harpooner put in, shaking his head with the attitude of a man who doesn't want to be convinced.
晤!這位魚叉手哼了一聲,同時搖搖頭,一副表示不能相信的神氣。