Now as this law, under a modified form, is to this day in force in England; 因为这个法律，形式虽有所修改，却直到今天还施行于英国；

　　and as it offers in various respects a strange anomaly touching the general law of Fast—and Loose-Fish, 又因为这个法律，就各方面说来，都跟有主鲸和无主鲸这个总的法律精神有着奇特的矛盾，

　　it is here treated of in a separate chapter, 将其单独列为一章，

　　on the same courteous principle that prompts the English railways to be at the expense of a separate car, 所以，在这里，根据英国铁路当局，特为准备供皇族使用，

　　specially reserved for the accommodation of royalty. 而拨专款建造单独车厢的这个谦恭原则。

　　In the first place, in curious proof of the fact that the above-mentioned law is still in force, 首先，为了好奇地证实上述法律迄今仍在施行，

　　I proceed to lay before you a circumstance-that happened within the last two years. 我想先把两年前所发生的情况说给你听。

　　It seems that some honest mariners of Dover, or Sandwich, or some one of the Cinque Ports, 好象是多佛海峡（法英之间的海峡），或者散德维奇，还是辛格港，

　　had after a hard chase succeeded in killing and beaching a fine whale which they had originally descried afar off from the shore. 有几个老实水手，在千辛万苦的追击后，终于把他们本来在距岸很远的地方所发现的一条上等的大鲸打死了，正想把它拖上海滩来。

　　Now the Cinque Ports are partially or somehow under the jurisdiction of a sort of policeman or beadle, called a Lord Warden. 当时，辛格港大概有一部分是属于一种警察或者教区小吏性质的，称为"港口监督"的辖区的。

　　Holding the office directly from the crown, I believe, 我相信他是直接秉承国王的命令行事的，

　　all the royal emoluments incident to the Cinque Port territories become by assignment his. 凡属有关辛格港地区的皇家收益都归他管。

　　By some writers this office is called a sinecure.  有些作家们管这个职司叫闲差。

　　But not so. Because the Lord Warden is busily employed at times in fobbing his perquisites; 可是，事实却不然。因为这个"港口监督"一天到晚都在忙着塞满他自己的腰包；

　　which are his chiefly by virtue of that same fobbing of them. 他的腰包主要就是这样塞满的。