So I chartered the raft and the crew and took all the responsibilities on myself.

 

于是，我租下了这条木筏，雇了他的舵手，一切责任由我承担。

With a rattling song the starboard watch bent to their work and hove the cable short, then got the anchor home, and our bark moved off with a stately, stride，and soon was bowling along at about two knots an hour.

伴着一阵激昂的号子声，右舷的舵手们开始忙活了起来， 他们收起缆索，升起筏锚，我们的木筏便飞速地向前游去。很快，时速就达到了20海里。

Our party were grouped amidships.

我们—行人聚集在木筏的中央。

 

At first the talk was a little gloomy, and ran mainly upon the shortness of life, the uncertainty of it, the perils which beset it, and the need and wisdom of being always prepared for the worst；this shaded off into low-voiced references to the dangers of the deep, and kindred matters；but as the gray cast began to redden and the mysterious solemnity and silence of the dawn to give place to the joy-songs of the birds, the talk took a cheerier tone, and our spirits began to rise steadily.

 

起初，大家的谈话有些低沉，主要围绕着短暂且难测的，其间危机重重生命，随时做好最坏的准备是必需的也是明智的。这种交谈渐渐变成低语，内容都是些海洋的危险之类的。然而，当灰色的东方出现红霞， 在黎明那神秘的庄严和静寂中传来小鸟欢快的歌声时，大家的谈话也欢快了许多，我们的情绪也逐渐高昂了起来。

Germany, in the summer, is the perfection of the beautiful, but nobody has understood, and realized, and enjoyed the utmost possibilities of this soft and peaceful beauty unless he has voyaged down the Neckar on a raft.

夏日的徳国是至善至美的。但是，如果不乘木筏从内卡河流而下，是不可能理解、感知和享受这种至高的温柔、平和的美妙的。

The motion of a raft is the needful motion； it is gentle, and gliding, and snnooth, and noiseless；it calms down all feverish activities, it soothes to sleep all nervous hurry and impatience；under its restful influence all the troubles and vexations and sorrows that harass the mind vanish away, and existence becomes a dream,a charm,a deep and tranquil ecstasy.

木筏的漯流是不可或缺的运动，它柔美、顺滑、流畅、无声；它平息一切狂躁的行为；缓和所有不安的仓促和急躁情绪。在其宁静的影响之下，一切影响情绪的烦恼、悲伤都销声匿迹，变成一个梦、一种魅力、一种深深的、宁静的喜悦。

How it contrasts with hot and perspiring pedestrianism, and dusty and deafening railroad rush, and tedious jolting behind tired horses over blinding white roads!

炎热、辛劳的徒步行走，与尘土飞扬、隆隆行驶的火车，还有在炫目的大道路颠簸的疲惫的马车，形成了鲜明的对比啊！