藍色的海豚島

“藍色的海豚島”大致位于美國洛杉磯西南75英里的地方，在公元前2000年左右就有印第安人定居，直到1602年白人探險家發現了它，并命名為“圣·尼哥拉斯島”。1835~1853年期間，一位印第安少女獨自一人居住在這個島上，直到18年后被一艘商船解救。這位少女是最后一個卡拉斯—阿特印第安人，沒有人懂得她的語言，所以也沒有人知道她是如何獨自度過這孤獨的18年的。人們發現她的時候，她和一只狗住在高地上一所簡陋的房子里，穿的是鸕鶿羽毛裙。這些事實正是《藍色的海豚島》一書的歷史背景。

《藍色的海豚島》在1960年首次出版后，曾先后獲紐伯瑞兒童文學獎等獎項。

By the time I filled the basket， the 1)Aleut ship had sailed around the wide 2)kelp bed that encloses our island and between the two rocks that guard Coral Cove. Word of its coming had already reached the village of Ghalas-at. Carrying their weapons， our men sped along the trail which winds down to the shore. Our women were gathering at the edge of the 3)mesa.

I made my way through the heavy brush and， moving swiftly， down the 4)ravine until I came to the sea cliffs. There I 5)crouched on my hands and knees. Below me lay the cove. The tide was out and the sun shone on the white sand of the beach. Half the men from our village stood at the water’s edge. The rest were concealed among the rocks at the foot of the trail， ready to attack the 6)intruders should they prove unfriendly.

As I crouched there in the 7)toyon bushes， trying not to fall over the cliff， trying to keep myself hidden and yet to see and hear what went on below me， a boat left the ship. Six men with long oars were rowing. Their faces were broad， and shining dark hair fell over their eyes. When they came closer I saw that they had bone ornaments thrust through theirnoses.

Behind them in the boat stood a tall man with a yellow beard. I had never seen a Russian before， but my father had told me about them， and I wondered， seeing the way he stood with his feet set apart and his fists on his hips and looked at the little harbor as though it already belonged to him， if he were one of those men from the north whom our people feared. I was certain of it when the boat slid in to the shore and he jumped out， shouting as he did so.

“I come in peace and wish to 8)parley，” he said to the men on the shore.

None of them answered， but my father， who was one of those hidden among the rocks， came forward down the sloping beach. He thrust his spear into the sand.

“I am the Chief of Ghalas-at，” he said. “My name is Chief Chowig.”

I was surprised that he gave his real name to a stranger. Everyone in our tribe had two names， the real one which was secret and was seldom used， and one which was common， for if people use your secret name it becomes worn out and loses its magic. Thus I was known as Won-a-pa-lei， which means The Girl with the Long Black Hair， though my secret name is Karana. My father’s secret name was Chowig. Why he gave it to a stranger I do not know.

The Russian smiled and held up his hand， calling himself Captain Orlov. My father also held up his hand. I could not see his face， but I doubted that he smiled in return.

“I have come with 40 of my men，” said the Russian. “We come to hunt sea otter. We wish to camp on your island while we are hunting.”

“You will need to do nothing，” Captain Orlov said. “My men will hunt and we will divide the catch. One part for you， to be paid in goods， and two parts for us.”

“The parts must be equal，” my father said.

Captain Orlov 9)gazed off toward the sea. “We can talk of that later when my supplies are safe ashore，” he replied.

The morning was fair with little wind， yet it was the season of the year when storms could be looked for， so I understood why the Russian wished to move onto our island.

“It is better to agree now，” said my father.

Captain Orlov took two long steps away from my father， then turned and faced him.

“One part to you is fair since the work is ours and ours the risk.”

My father shook his head.

The Russian grasped his beard. “Since the sea is not yours， why do I have to give you any part?”

“The sea which surrounds the Island of the Blue Dolphins belongs to us，” answered my father.

He spoke softly as he did when he was angry.

“From here to the coast of Santa Barbara—2010)leagues away?”

“No， only that which touches the island and where the otter live.”

Captain Orlov made a sound in his throat. He looked at our men standing on the beach and toward those who had now come from behind the rocks. He looked at my father and shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly he smiled， showing his long teeth.

“The parts shall be equal，” he said.

我把籃子裝得滿滿的時候，阿留申人的船已經繞過我們島四周寬闊的海草區，來到守衛珊瑚灣的兩塊大礁石之間。阿留申人到來的消息已經傳到卡拉斯—阿特村。村里的男人已經拿著武器沿著彎彎曲曲的小道飛快地奔向海岸。村里的婦女則聚集在高地邊上。

我穿過茂密的灌木叢，也迅速跑下峽谷，來到海邊的峭壁上面。我蹲下身子趴在那里，下面就是海灣。那時候已經退潮，太陽照著海灘上白色的沙子。我們村里的男人有一半站在海邊。其余的人隱藏在小道盡頭的巖石后面，準備一旦來者不懷好意，就向他們發動進攻。

我蹲伏在柳葉石楠矮小的灌木叢中，努力使自己不掉下崖去，既要把自己隱藏好，又要對下面發生的事情，看得清聽得明。正在這時，大船上放下一只小船。小船上有六個男人劃著長槳。……