Those narrow straits of Sunda divide Sumatra from Java; 那个狭小的巽他海峡，把苏门答腊与爪哇给隔开来；

and standing midway in that vast rampart of islands, buttressed by that bold green promontory, known to seamen as Java Head; 而拦在那两个壁垒似的大岛的中间，却被那个终年碧绿、水手们管它叫爪哇岬的突出的海岬撑住着；

they not a little correspond to the central gateway opening into some vast walled empire: 它很象通向一种城墙高筑的大帝国的大城门，

and considering the inexhaustible wealth of spices, and silks, and jewels, and gold, and ivory, 而且就那些取之不尽的财富，香料、丝绸、珠宝、黄金和象牙说来，

with which the thousand islands of that oriental sea are enriched, it seems a significant provision of nature, 东方大洋的无数岛屿，正是借这些东西而富裕起来的，这似乎就是得天独厚的重要物质，

that such treasures, by the very formation of the land, should at least bear the appearance, however ineffectual, 这样一些财宝，由于这种地理形势，至少就具有一种小心戒备的外表（不管是否有效），

of being guarded from the all-grasping western world. 免得遭受西方世界的巧取豪夺。

The shores of the Straits of Sunda  巽他海峡的沿海一带，

are unsupplied with those domineering fortresses which guard the entrances to the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and the Propontis. 并没有设备许多象防守地中海，波罗的海，普罗蓬提斯海的入口那样的作威作福的要塞。

Unlike the Danes, these Orientals do not demand the obsequious homage of lowered top-sails from the endless procession of ships before the wind, 这些东方人，跟丹麦人不一样，他们并不要求那些顺风而来，行列无尽无止的船只，对他们放下中桅帆，以示谄媚的敬意，

which for centuries past, by night and by day, have passed between the islands of Sumatra and Java, freighted with the costliest cargoes of the east. 那些船只在过去几百年间，都已经不分昼夜，满载着东方最贵重的货物，穿过苏门答腊和爪哇间的许多岛屿了。

But while they freely waive a ceremonial like this, they do by no means renounce their claim to more solid tribute. 不过，他们虽然自愿放弃如此的礼仪，可决不会放弃更可靠的贡礼的要求。