I see much of the world

IT was easy to find a ship to my liking; for all kinds of trading vessels go out from London to every country that is known.

One day I met an old sea captain who had been often to the coast of Africa. He was pleased with my talk.

"If you want to see the world," he said, "you must sail with me." And then he told me that he was going again to Africa, to trade with the black people there. He would carry out a load of cheap trinkets to exchange for gold dust and feathers and other rare and curious things.

I was very glad to go with him. I would see strange lands and savage people. I would have many a stirring adventure.

Before ten days had passed, we were out on the great ocean. Our ship was headed toward the south.

The captain was very kind to me. He taught me much that every sailor ought to know. He showed me how to steer and manage the vessel. He told me about the tides and the compass and how to reckon the ship's course.

The voyage was a pleasant one, and I saw more wonderful things than I can name.

When, at last, we sailed back to London, we had gold enough to make a poor man rich.

I had nearly six pounds of the yellow dust for my own share.

I had learned to be a trader as well as a sailor.

It would take too long to tell you of all my voyages. Some of them were happy and successful; but the most were unpleasant and full of disappointment.

Sometimes I went to Africa, sometimes to the new land of South America. But wherever I sailed I found the life of a sailor by no means easy.

I did not care so much now to see strange sights and visit unknown shores.

I cared more for the money or goods that I would get by trading.

At last a sudden end was put to all my sailing. And it is of this that I will now tell you.

I undertake a new venture (я предпринимаю новое рискованное начинание; venture — рискованное предприятие, рискованное начинание)

I HAD grown very tired of being a sailor (я стал очень уставшим от /того, что/ был моряком = мне весьма надоело…; to grow — расти; становиться). I was so tired of it that I made up my mind to try something else (я настолько устал от этого, что принял решение попытать что-то другое; to try — пробовать, испытывать).

It happened that I was then in Brazil (случилось, что я был тогда в Бразилии). I bought some land there (я купил там сколько-то = некоторое количество земли; to buy — покупать) and began to open a plantation (и начал открывать = основывать плантацию). The ground was rich (земля/почва была богатой), and it would be easy to raise tobacco and sugar cane (и было бы легко выращивать табак и сахарный тростник).

But I needed many things (но мне нужно было много вещей). I must have plows and hoes and a sugar mill (я должен иметь = у меня должны быть плуги, и мотыги, и сахарную мельницу = сахарный завод). Above all (и прежде всего: «выше всего») I must have men (у меня должны быть люди) to do the work on the plantation (чтобы делать работу = чтобы работать на плантации).

But neither men nor tools could I get in Brazil (но ни людей, ни инструментов я не мог достать в Бразилии).

I sent to London for the tools (я послал в Лондон за инструментами; to send — посылать). I tried to buy some slaves of the planters near me (я попытался купить рабов у плантаторов около меня), but they had not enough for themselves (но у них не было достаточно для самих себя).

"We will tell you what to do (мы скажем тебе, что делать)," they said. "We will fit out a trading vessel for Africa (мы снарядим торговое судно в Африку). We will put aboard of it everything that you need (мы доставим на борт все, в чем нуждаешься = что будет тебе нужно; to put — помещать, класть, ставить; aboard — на борту; на борт). As for your part (что касается твоей части), you shall be the manager of the business (ты будешь управляющим этого дела/предприятия); and you shall do the trading for us (и будешь заниматься торговлей за нас). You need not put in a penny of your own (тебе не нужно вкладывать ни пенни своих /денег/)."

"But how is that going to help me (но как это поможет мне)?" I asked (спросил я).

"Listen, and we will tell you (послушай, и мы скажем тебе)," they said. "With the goods which we send (с товарами, которые мы посылаем), you will buy as many black slaves as the ship will hold (ты купишь столько черных рабов, сколько выдержит корабль; to hold — держать). You will bring them here (ты привезешь их сюда), and we will divide them equally (и мы разделим их поровну; equal — равный, одинаковый). You shall share with us (ты поделишься с нами), just as though you had paid the money (как если бы ты заплатил деньги; just — точно, как раз, именно, поистине /о месте, времени, образе совершения действия/; to pay — платить)."

The plan pleased me very much (этот план мне очень понравился). I figured that each one of us would have thirty or forty slaves (я рассчитал, что каждый из нас получит тридцать или сорок рабов).

It was very foolish of me to go to sea again (было весьма глупо с моей стороны вновь отправиться в море); but the offer was so good (но предложение было столь хорошим = выгодным) that I could not say No (не мог сказать «нет»).

The ship was soon fitted out for the voyage (корабль был вскоре подготовлен для путешествия/поездки; to fit — быть впору, быть в самый раз, подходить /к чему-л./; /также to fit out/ снаряжать, оснащать). Her load was not very heavy (груз не был очень тяжелым). But there were plenty of goods (но было много товаров) such as were most fit for trade (таких, которые были наиболее подходящими для торговли).

There were boxes of red and blue beads (ящики красного и синего бисера), of bits of glass (кусочков стекла), and of other trinkets (и других безделушек). There were also knives and hatchets (были также ножи и топорики) and little looking-glasses (и маленькие зеркала). We reckoned that each one of these would buy a slave (мы подсчитали, что каждый /предмет/ из этих купит = позволит купить раба).

The ship was to carry fourteen men (корабль должен был везти четырнадцать человек) besides the captain and myself (помимо капитана и меня). She (он /корабль в англ. языке — женского рода/) was as fine a little vessel (был таким прекрасным маленьким судном = суденышком) as ever sailed from the coast of Brazil (которое когда-либо отходило в море от берега Бразилии).

tired ['taIqd], bought ['bO:t], plantation [plxn'teIS(q)n], tobacco [tq'bxkqu], sugar ['Sugq], plow ['plau], hoe ['hqu], could [kud], aboard [q'bO:d], business ['bIznqs], divide [dI'vaId], equally ['i:kwqlI], figure ['fIgq], again [q'ge(I)n], load ['lqud], heavy ['hevI], hatchet ['hxtSIt], buy ['baI], carry ['kxrI], coast ['kqust], Brazil [brq'zIl]