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哥伦布和鸡蛋（2）
But there were some who were jealous of the discoverer, and as ready to find fault as others were to praise. “Who is this Columbus?” they asked, “and what has he done? Is he not a pauper pilot from Italy? And could not any other seaman sail across the ocean just as he has done?”
One day Columbus was at a dinner which a Spanish gentleman had given in his honor, and several of these persons were present. They were proud, conceited fellows, and they very soon began to try to make Columbus uncomfortable.
“You hāve discovered strange lands beyond the sea,” they said. “But what of that? We do not see why there should be so much said about it. Anybody can sail across the ocean; and anybody can coast along the islands on the other side, just as you hāve done. It is the simplest thing in the world.”
Columbus made no answer; but after a while he took an egg from a dish and said to the company, “Who among you, gentlemen, can make this egg stand on end?”
One by one those at the table tried the experiment. When the egg had gone entirely around and none had succeeded, all said that it could not be done.
Then Columbus took the egg and struck its small end gently upon the table so as to break the shell a little. After that there was no trouble in making it stand upright.
“Gentlemen,” said he,“what is easier than to do this which you said was impossible? It is the simplest thing in the world. Anybody can do it—after he has been shown how.”
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在达连湾的山巅上（一）（1）
在哥伦布发现美洲大陆后，大批西班牙人漂洋前往。他们到了海地、古巴、波尔图以及附近一些更小的岛屿。就像哥伦布一样，他们深信这些小岛靠近亚洲的东海岸，是印度的一部分，因此他们把这些岛屿称为印度群岛。后来，他们认识到这是个错误，就称这些岛屿为西印度群岛，而真正的印度群岛被称为东印度群岛。
在距离古巴西南很远的地方，哥伦布发现了一个长长的海岸，他为之命名为达连湾，就是我们所说的巴拿马地峡，但哥伦布却以为这就是亚洲大陆的一部分。几年之后，西班牙水手到达达连湾，回到海地后他们说那里有黄金。那个时候，一个西班牙人就打算到世界的另一端去寻找黄金。所以，这个消息在横渡大洋冒险的年轻人中引起了极大轰动。
“到达连湾去，到达连湾去！”的口号风靡一时，不久他们便成立了一支航行队伍。两只舰艇整装待发，前往那块希望之地。
航行开始的时候，大家都非常愉快。海上风平浪静，海风柔和，舰船飞快地按照既定路线向前行驶。但是不久，令人感觉舒服的沙滩和郁郁葱葱的海地山脉就消失了，眼前出现的只是一些小小的岩石岛。舰船径直驶进加勒比海。
这时，大船上的船员非常惊奇地听到了敲击货舱的声音！一个声音响起，就像有人在呼喊求救。怎么回事呢？船员们没有看见人，听到的声音却不是错觉。
“请把我救出来！”这个声音像是从供应品的桶里传出来的。
“有人在桶里！”船长说。
不一会儿，船员们就找到了那个桶。从桶里跳出一个年轻人，他穿着天鹅绒斗篷，里面是一件丝绸制成的金边紧身衣。这是个英俊的家伙，他的眼睛锐利而明亮，脸上露出坚毅的表情，像是一个我行我素的人。他的身上挂着一把剑，腰带上别着一把匕首。
有人认识他，所以他也没有必要说出他的名字。他叫巴斯科?努涅斯?德?巴尔博亚。大家都知道他是一个狂热的冒险家，常常进行冒险，并常常花光借来的钱。但是，他为什么会在桶里呢？
“是这样的，”巴尔博亚说，“在海地，我欠了几乎所有人的钱。州长到处找我，我差点被投进监狱。所以，我只好说服我的一个朋友，让他把我藏在桶里，混在腌牛肉的桶中，一起送到船上。所以，现在我将和你们一起去富饶的达连湾寻找金子了。”
船长大发雷霆。他威胁说要把巴尔博亚抛到全是石头的孤岛上。“可惜呀！可惜呀！”其他船员喊着，“让他和我们一起走吧，他会对咱们大有帮助呢。”接着船长态度缓和了一点，答应带他一起走。
巴尔博亚很讨人喜欢，他精明干练、勇敢无畏。很快，几乎所有的船员都很尊敬他，并把他当作他们的领导。当他们到达达连湾，寻找登陆的地方时，巴尔博亚给了他们很大的帮助。他曾经来过此地，因此他指引船员们在一个安全的海港停靠。
船长向来傲慢无礼、不可一世，最后，船员们都拒绝执行他的命令。他们推选巴尔博亚为他们的新船长，而原船长也高兴地坐另外一艘船回海地了。
巴尔博亚和势力强大的印第安人酋长商定了一项协议。酋长住在一所大房子里，是附近所有村庄的统治者。巴尔博亚娶酋长的女儿为妻。在婚宴上，酋长赠给这些西班牙人许多金子和奴隶。
印第安人根本不看中金子，他们并不知道金子的价值。当他们看见西班牙人把金子铸成金条、并为之争得死去活来时，他们非常吃惊。他们说：“如果你们那么在乎那堆黄|色东西的话，为什么不去盛产这些东西的地方呢？”于是，他们告诉巴尔博亚，在很远的南部地区，山的另一面，有一片广阔的海洋。海边住着许多居民，他们拥有很多黄金。他们用黄金做杯子和弓箭，甚至盘子和壶之类的东西。 电子书 分享网站
在达连湾的山巅上（一）（2）
巴尔博亚决心立刻前往他们所说的海洋。他带上两百人和一群侦探犬，追寻着不友好的印第安人的脚步，朝大山进发了。这段路程并不遥远，但是地面崎岖不平，森林几乎无法穿过，他们不得不走得非常慢。许多天过去了，他们终于到达了山脉的最高点。巴尔博亚登上山巅，俯瞰四周。在他的南面和西面都是海洋。海洋看上去非常近，就像在他的脚下一样。海水延伸到远方，直到海天相接处。
在巴尔博亚之前，从未有白人来此观望过这片海，甚至没有人听说过它。后来，这位西班牙的冒险家将其命名为南海，因为去南海的路上要穿过地峡，而它看起来就在大陆的南边。但我们知道，它就是大洋中最大的一个——浩瀚的太平洋。
在山巅上，巴尔博亚怀着敬畏和喜悦的复杂感情俯瞰。
他有着鹰一样的眼睛
凝视着太平洋，
其他人相互对视，
胡乱猜测默不作声，
矗立在达连湾的山巅之上。
巴尔博亚并不知道他发现了一个新大洋。他以为，这片大海仅仅是一个冲击着海岸的鸿沟或海湾。也许是印度，也可能是中国。他飞快地来到海滨。站在海滩上，波浪拍打着他的脚踝。他举起长剑指向空中，并以西班牙国王的名义宣布他拥有这片新发现的海洋。
不久，巴尔博亚和他的部下就返回地峡的另一边。他派人向西班牙国王报告了他的新发现。但这时船舰、船员和新的长官已经在去达连湾的路上了。因为国王对这里蕴含丰富的黄金这件事已经有所耳闻了。
新的长官是一个老头，像一只凶猛而无情的老虎。他们一到达达连湾，就开始压迫、屠杀当地的印第安人。数以千计的人在他的残暴统治下丧生。巴尔博亚非常伤心，他同情那些贫苦的印第安人。在第一次回国探亲的船上，他秘密地将新长官的所作所为写信报告给国王。接着他开始为去南海探险做准备了。
在达连湾，巴尔博亚将四艘小船分开，并运到山的对面。在巴尔博亚的带领下，这些小船又被重新组装起来，然后向海洋出发。这是欧洲第一艘漂浮在太平洋上的船舰。
但他们并不准备开始航行。他们还需要一些螺栓加固船只，需要沥青堵住船只上的漏洞。在准备这些东西的时候，长官派人来抓他。这只老恶虎听说了巴尔博亚写给国王的那封控告信。
巴尔博亚做好了服从命令的准备。他再次穿过群山，和逮捕他的人一起回去。“你想谋害我，想让国王不信任我，”冷酷无情的长官说，“你将以叛国者的罪名被处死。”
太阳落山之前，勇敢英俊、充满活力的巴尔博亚死去了。
“Upon a Peak in Darien”
First Story
AFTER Columbus had shown the way to America a great many Spaniards came over. They came to Haiti and Cuba and Porto Rico and the smaller islands near them. Like Columbus they believed that these lands were near the eastern coast of Asia. They believed that they were a part of India, and therefore spoke of them as the Indies. Afterwards, when their mistake became known, these islands were named the West Indies and the true islands of India were called the East Indies.
Far to the southwest of Cuba, Columbus had discovered a long coast which he named Darien. It was the neck of land which we call the Isthmus of Panama, but he supposed that it was a part of the mainland of Asia. A few years later some Spanish sailors visited Darien and carried word back to Haiti that there was gold there. Now at that time a Spaniard would go to the end of the world for gold, and therefore this news caused great excitement among the young men who had come across the ocean for the purpose of adventure. 电子书 分享网站
在达连湾的山巅上（一）（3）
“To Darien!To Darien!” was the cry， and soon a company was formed and two ships were made ready to sail to that land of pro-mise.
The voyage was a delightful one from the start. The sea was calm, the wind was fair, and the vessels sped swiftly on their way. Soon the pleasant shores and green mountains of Haiti were lost to view. Only little rocky islets could be seen. The ship was heading straight into the Caribbean Sea.
Then, what was the surprise of the crew of the larger ship to hear strange rapping in the hold!A voice also was heard, like that of some one calling for help. What could it mean? The sailors could not see any one, and yet the sounds could not be mistaken.
“Please help me out!” The voice seemed to come from among some barrels in which provisions were stored.
“A man is in one of the barrels,” said the captain.
Soon the barrel was found and opened. Out of it leaped a young man, richly clad in a velvet cloak and a silk doublet embroidered with gold. He was a handsome fellow. His eyes were keen and bright, and his face had a determined look, like that of one who is used to hāving his own way about things. At his side hung a long sword, and in his belt was a dagger.
Several of the men knew him; and so he did not need to say that his name was Vasco Nunez de Balboa. They knew that he was a dashing adventurer, always doing and daring, and always borrowing and spending money. But why was he in the barrel?
“The truth of the matter is that,” he said，“I am in debt to almost everybody in Haiti. The officers were looking for me and would hāve taken me to prison. So I persuaded one of my friends to put me in a barrel and send me on board with the salt beef. And now here I am, bound with the rest of you for the rich coast of Darien.”
The captain was very angry. He threatened to put Balboa ashore on one of the rocky islets. “Shame!Shame!” cried the rest of the party. “Let him go with us. He will be a great help.” And so the captain grew kinder and agreed to take him.
Balboa’s manners were so pleasant, and he proved to be so able and brāve, that soon nearly all on the ship looked up to him as their leader. When they reached Darien and began to seek for a good place to settle, Balboa gāve them much help. He had been on the coast before, and he guided them to a safe harbor.
The captain proved to be so overbearing that the men at last refused to obey him. They chose Balboa to be their commander, and the captain was glad to go back to Haiti in one of the ships.
Balboa made a treaty with a powerful Indian chief who lived in a grand house and ruled all the country around. He married the chief’s daughter; and at the wedding feast the chief gāve the Spaniards a great quantity of gold and many slāves.
The Indians did not care much for gold. They did not know that it was worth anything. When they saw the Spaniards molding it into bars and quarreling over it, they were astonished. “If you think so much of that yellow stuff,” they said, “why don’t you go where there is plenty of it?” And then they told Balboa that far to the south, on the other side of the mountains, there was a great sea, and on the shores of the sea there lived a people who had so much gold that they used it to make cups and bowls and even pans and kettles.
在达连湾的山巅上（一）（4）
Balboa made up his mind to go at once in search of that sea. With two hundred men and a pack of bloodhounds, to chase unfriendly Indians, he set off toward the mountains. The distance was not great, but the country was very rough, the forest was almost impassable, and the party had to move slowly. After many days they came to the highest ridge of the mountains. Balboa climbed to the top of the loftiest peak and looked around. South and west of him he beheld a great sea. It was so near that it seemed almost at his feet; and it stretched away and away into the distance until it seemed to meet the blue sky.
No white man had ever beheld that sea before; none had even so much as heard of it. The Spaniards afterwards called it the South Sea, because in going to it across the isthmus it seemed to lie south of the land; but we know it as the largest of all the oceans, the mighty Pacific.
From that peak in Darien, Balboa looked down with mingled feelings of awe and exultation.
With eagle eyes
He stared at the Pacific,—and all his men
Looked at each other with a wild surmise—
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.
Balboa had no idea that he had discovered an ocean. He supposed that the great water was merely a gulf or bay washing the coast, perhaps of India, perhaps of China. He hastened to get down to the shore. He stood on the beach, and as the wāves broke about his feet he raised his sword in the air and declared that he took possession of the new-found sea in the name of the king of Spain.
Balboa with his men soon returned to the other side of the isthmus. He sent word to Spain of the discovery he had made. But ships and men and a new governor were already on their way to Darien; for word had reached the king that plenty of gold was to be had there.
The new governor was an old man, as fierce and heartless as a tiger. No sooner had he arrived in Darien than he began to oppress and kill the Indians. Thousands of them perished through his cruelty. Balboa was grieved to the heart; he felt pity for the poor sāvages. By the first homeward-bound ship he secretly sent complaints to the king about the governor’s doings. Then he set to work getting ready to explore the South Sea.
Four small ships were taken apart at Darien, and Balboa caused the pieces to be carried over the mountains. At the shore on the farther side these pieces were again put together, and the ships were launched upon the sea. They were the first European vessels that ever floated on the Pacific.
But they were not yet ready to sail. They still needed a few bolts to strengthen them and some pitch to stop the leaks. While Balboa was waiting for these things the governor sent for him. The old tiger had heard of the complaints that had been sent to the king.
Balboa was ready to obey orders. He recrossed the mountains and was met by the officers who had been sent to arrest him. “You hāve plotted against me, you hāve tried to turn the king against me,” said the sāvage governor. “You shall die the death of a traitor.”
Before the sun went down, the brāve, dashing, handsome Balboa was dead.
在达连湾的山巅上（二）（1）
在巴尔博亚发现太平洋后70年，有一天，另一个勇敢的探险家站在了达连湾之巅。
这个人叫弗朗西斯?德雷克。他是有史以来公认的最勇敢的航海者。他是一个憎恶西班牙和西班牙人的英国人。和巴尔博亚一样，他到达连湾也是为了寻找黄金。但他打算用武力从被他叫做敌人的人手里把黄金抢过来。
他站在高高的悬崖顶上，那个悬崖距离现在的巴拿马运河不远。在他的下面，有一个幽深的峡谷。沿着峡谷，有一条羊肠小道。当年西班牙人载满财宝穿越群山时，就是沿着这条小路，到达达连港，然后运到西班牙的。靠近这条小路，在岩石和树木后面，蜷缩着德雷克船长的追随者——几个已经全副武装的水手，还有一群手拿矛和棍棒，身手灵巧的印第安人。他们似乎正在等待有人经过那条小路。他们望着悬崖顶上的领袖，谨慎地移动着，手里握着武器以便随时使用。
当德雷克站在悬崖边上的时候，他看见前面有一棵枝繁叶茂的大树，枝叶伸展，就像祼露的硕大的臂膀伸向空中。“啊！”他说，“有谁还想看到比这更好的景象吗？”
身为海员的他轻而易举地爬上了长满树榴的树干。没一会儿，他就站在最高的树干上了。当环顾四周时，他看到了多么壮丽的景色！他的四周全是覆盖着郁郁葱葱的热带树木的山峰。山峰的中间，是深邃、宽阔的峡谷，峡谷里有浓密的森林，长满了参天大树、随处蔓延的葡萄藤以及杂乱的矮丛木，这里从未有过人类的足迹。向北望去，他隐约看到刚刚驶过的那片海洋。他知道，在那片海洋岸边的某个避风港湾里，他的船正安全地藏在西班牙人的视野之外，等待着他的胜利归来。
但在如今他关心的不是北面的风景。于是他转过身来，看向另一面。他从来没有见过比这更壮丽的景色。他清楚地看到前方巨大的西部大洋——太平洋。这是西班牙人巴尔博亚发现的那片大洋，西班牙人不止一次宣布它为西班牙所有。
海水碧波荡漾，在阳光下闪闪发光，就像巴尔博亚时代那样。海水向南部和西部延伸开来，直到海天相接。勇敢的水手的心被深深地打动了，因为他是第一个看到这么伟大景观的英国人。
在他极目远眺的时候，他还能看到西班牙的船舰，就像海面上的小点，这些船舰驶进巴拿马，装着从秘鲁和富饶东方抢来的财宝，来壮大西班牙国王的力量和财富。他热泪盈眶。他握紧拳头，心中的意志坚定。当他想到可恶的西班牙人，想到他们声称要拥有半个世界时，他的呼吸变得急促起来。
这时，他忘记了自己身处何处。他跪在树枝上，祈祷道：“哦，上帝啊，助我挫败西班牙人的傲气吧，帮我提升英国人在海上的荣誉吧。我发誓，我将用毕生的时间和精力去实现这个伟大的事业，永不停息，直到我驾着英国的船只航行在这个伟大的海洋上！”
峡谷下同伴的喊声提醒了他。当他慌忙从树上爬下来时，他就听到了远处山上传来的清脆的铃声。一队骡子满载着从秘鲁的矿山上采来的黄金、白银，正慢慢地前行着。为了抢劫这队人马，德雷克和他的战友们才来到达连湾的山顶的。现在，机会来了。
一个小时以后，德雷克船长在他的随从们中间分财物了。由于财宝中贵重金属太多了，他们无法全部带走，只得将一部分财宝埋在森林中一个秘密的地方。
这位勇敢的船长的传奇故事传到了巴拿马和海峡边上西班牙的其他城镇时，德雷克早就回到了船上，安全离开了。对这位勇敢的海上水手的敬畏传遍了每一个港口，从那时起，西班牙人的傲气日渐低下。
两年后，德雷克船长实现了他的誓言，他驾着英国的船舰，沿着智利和秘鲁的海岸线，航行在太平洋上。他占领了西班牙人的城镇，抢夺了西班牙装有财宝的船只，将恐慌带到西班牙的每一个省。船舰上的财宝多得无法装下时，他便转而向西航行，他是第一个穿越太平洋的英国人。他一直向西行进，经过菲律宾南部，横跨印度洋，绕非洲环行，最后安全回到英国。这是一个伟大的航行——英国人第一次环游世界的航行。
在达连湾的山巅上（二）（2）
当伊丽莎白女王听到德雷克的冒险故事时，她非常高兴。女王大喊道：“他将会成为弗朗西斯?德雷克爵士，我要亲自授予他爵士爵位。”
就这样，他成了弗朗西斯?德雷克爵士。从他的时代起，英国的航海实力开始名震世界。
“Upon a Peak in Dairen”
Second Story
After Balboa’s discovery of the Pacific Ocean, seventy years went by. Then, one day, another bold adventurer stood upon a peak in Darien.
The name of this man was Francis Drake. He was known far and wide as the most daring sailor on the seas. He was an Englishman, and he hated Spain and the Spaniards with a bitter hatred. Like Balboa, he visited Darien in search of gold; but he meant to get it from those whom he called his enemies—to take it away from them by force.
He stood near the top of a high cliff, not far from the line where the famous Panama Canal is now being built. Below him there was a deep rāvine, and along the rāvine there was a mule path. This mule path was the road along which the Spaniards carried their treasures over the mountains to the seaport of Darien, to be loaded on ships and sent to Spain. Close to this pathway, crouching behind rocks and trees, were Captain Drake’s followers—a few rough sailors armed to the teeth and a band of light-footed Indians with spears and clubs. They seemed to be expecting some one to pass that way; for they moved very caut-iously and kept their weapons in their hands ready for use, while they watched their leader on the steep mountain wall above them.
As Drake stood near the edge of the cliff he saw before him a tall tree with spreading branches reaching like gaunt, bare arms toward the sky. “Ah!” said he, “what better out-look could one want than this?”
Sailor as he was, it was easy enough for him to clamber up the gnarled trunk. Soon he was standing on the very topmost branch. As he looked around him, what a glorious view did he behold!On every side were wooded mountain tops, green with tropical verdure. Between them were deep rāvines and broad valleys, with thick forests of giant trees and sprawling vines and tangled underwoods, through which the feet of man had never passed. Far to the north he caught faint glimpses of the sea on which he had lately sailed, and he knew that in a snug harbor somewhere on the coast of that sea his ship, safe hidden from Spanish eyes, was waiting for his return.
But it was not for the northern view that he cared. He turned and looked in the other direction. Never had he seen a grander sight. There, in plain view before him, was the great western ocean, the mighty Pacific, which the Spaniard Balboa had discovered, and which Spain had ever since claimed as her own.
The waters danced and sparkled in the sunlight, just as they had done in Balboa’s time, and they stretched south and west a marvelous distance, until at last sea and sky seemed mingled in one. The heart of the bold sailor was strangely moved as he lazed upon this scene; for he was the first of Englishmen to behold that greatest of all waters.
在达连湾的山巅上（二）（3）
As he looked he could see the ships of Spain, like specks upon the water, sailing into the port of Panama, and bringing the treasures of Peru and of the golden East to swell the wealth and increase the power of the Spanish king. Tears came to his eyes. He clenched his hands with strong determination. His breath came quickly as he thought of the hated Spaniards and of their claim to the ownership of half the world.
Then, forgetting where he was, he knelt down among the branches.“O God,” he prayed, “help me to humble the pride of Spain, and help me to promote England’s glory on the seas. And I vow to give my time and strength to this cause, and never to rest till I shall sail an English ship on the waters of this great ocean.”
A call from his men in the rāvine below aroused him; and as he hastened to descend from the tree he heard the tinkle of bells far down the mountain pass. A train of mules laden with gold and silver from the mines of Peru was slowly approaching. It was to waylay and capture such a train that he and his followers had come to this peak in Darien; and here, now, was his opportunity.
An hour later Captain Drake was dividing the treasure among his followers. There was so great a weight of precious metals that they could not carry it all, but were obliged to bury a part in a secret place in the forest.
The story of the bold capture was carried to Panama and the other Spanish towns on the isthmus, but Drake was soon safe back on board of his ship. The fear of the bold sea rover spread to every port on the coast, and from that day the pride of Spain began to be humbled.
Two years later Captain Drake fulfilled his vow by sailing an English vessel on the mighty Pacific. Along the coasts of Chile and Peru he sailed. He captured Spanish towns, he waylaid Spanish treasure ships, he carried terror into all the Spanish provinces. Then, when his vessel was loaded with so much treasure that they could carry no more, he turned his course to the west, and was the first Englishman to sail across the Pacific. Westward and still westward he sailed. He passed on the south of the Philippines, he touched at the Spice Islands, he trāversed the Indian Ocean, he sailed around Africa, and finally returned in safety to England. It was a wonderful voyage—the first English voyage round the world.
Queen Elizabeth was so delighted when she heard of Drake’s exploits that she cried out, “He shall be Francis Drake. I myself will make him a knight.”
And Sir Francis Drake it was; and from his time the power of England on the sea began to be felt.
青春之泉（1）
在成群结队涌往美洲寻找黄金的西班牙人当中，有一个名叫胡安?庞塞?德?莱昂的军官。在西班牙军队中，他曾建立过功勋，因此非常富有。他在西班牙国王面前说话也相当管用，的确很管用。不久，他就被派到海地的东部岛屿，任命为当地的长官。
在任职期间，胡安?庞塞?德?莱昂听说在远离东部的地方有一个富饶的岛屿，那里盛产黄金和其他贵金属。印第安人称之为波伦昆，其实这正是几年前哥伦布发现并命名的波多黎各岛。
胡安?庞塞?德?莱昂对波多黎各岛有丰富宝藏的信息非常满意，于是他立刻决定去挖掘宝藏。西班牙国王也乐意讨他欢心，以便取得利益，于是任命他为波多黎各岛的长官。庞塞做事向来果断。他带上八艘坚固的船只，率领几百人，立刻前往他的新领地，并在预期的时间内登上了波多黎各岛。
当地居民友善而温和。他们欢迎这位白人来到他们的快乐家园，尽可能地帮助他们。庞塞却使用了当时西班牙人一贯的回报方式——他抢劫了他们的所有，再把他们沦为他的奴隶。最后，这群遭受苦难的未开化的人们开始反抗压迫者，想把他们驱逐出小岛，但他们怎么是这群狡猾、强大的敌人的对手呢？
庞塞就像野兽一样残酷无情。不久，曾经快乐的小岛就充满了灾难、哀伤和恐怖。印第安人被驱逐出家园。成千上万的人遭到杀害，幸存者沦为侵略者的奴隶。
庞塞开始在这个地方建立了一个名叫普韦布洛?埃尔维耶霍的定居点。不久，他又改变计划，迁到岛屿北部海岸线上一个较好的港口去了。在那里，他为自己建造了一个叫圣胡安的城市。在港口附近，他亲自建造了一所大房子，他称之为卡萨布兰卡或白城。他一度把这里当作自己的家。
尽管家财万贯，但庞塞并不开心。他荒淫无度、放纵任性，青春早已不在。50岁的时候，他已经是一个可怜的老头了。对他来说，世界上再也没有喜悦、幸福可言了。
一天，庞塞忧愁满面地坐在白城里，发生的一件事使他绝望的心境点燃了希望的火花。他不经意间听到一个印第安奴隶说：“在比米尼，没有人会变老。”
“比米尼？什么是比米尼？”他问。
“那是一个美丽的小岛，在离我们很远的北部。”奴隶回答。
“快告诉我更多的内容。”
“那里有一个喷泉，泉水清澈，是世界上最令人惊奇的泉水。在泉水里洗过澡的人都会变得如年轻时一样年轻力壮、精力充沛。在比米尼群岛，人能够青春永驻。”
“你去过那里吗？”
“哦，没有，对于我们这里的人来说，那儿太远了。但我很早就听说过这个有关生命之泉的传说。”
庞塞又向其它印第安奴隶打听比米尼岛和那里神奇的泉水，所有人都说有所耳闻。那是一个芬芳满园的地方。它在远离西北的地方——对一只单薄的独木舟来说，那里太远了。但这位伟大的白人军官可以在几天时间内轻而易举地到达那里。
庞塞决心去寻找那个喷泉。他首先得到国王的许可，去占领比米尼岛，无论它在哪。接着，他带上三艘船和大批随从，浩浩荡荡地驾船朝西北方向出发了。他经过闻名的巴哈马群岛时，只要那里有土著人居住，他都会停下来询问。
“比米尼群岛在哪里？神奇的青春之泉在哪里？”
他们遥指西北，都说不远了，不远了。不过没有人见过那个神奇的喷泉，但是庞塞深信，大家都听说过这个喷泉。
最后，在离巴哈马群岛很远的地方，他发现了一个奇异的海岸，这个岛似乎长满了鲜花。这里是比米尼岛吗？
没人能确定。海岸向北、向南延伸开来，庞塞确定这不是岛屿，而是一个大洲的大陆。这一天正好是复活节，在西班牙又叫百花节。因为这个缘故，再加上这里遍地是鲜花，西班牙人把它命名为佛罗里达。
青春之泉（2）
庞塞在海岸的很多地方登陆，寻找神奇的喷泉。他喝了所到之处的清澈的泉水，还在许多清澈的河流里洗过澡，但是他的青春仍然没有回来。
他向南行进、绕到佛罗里达西岸，不停地问着——
“这是比米尼岛吗？青春之泉在哪里？”
但是居住在那里的印第安人从未听说过比米尼群岛，他们也从未听说过青春之泉。最后，庞塞伤心地放弃了，然后失望地回到了波多黎各。
9年之后，他又一次到达佛罗里达。这一次他带了很多人，目的是征服这个国家，抢夺能找到的所有财宝。此外，他还想勘察那里的森林和河流，寻找神奇的青春之泉。
佛罗里达的印第安人没有任何财宝，但他们勇敢顽强，而且热爱自己的土地。他们不会被征服，也不会缴枪投降甘心做奴隶。当西班牙的侵略者踏上这片土地时，他们就遭到当地人的打击，最后被迫退回到他们的船舰上。
庞塞在战斗中中了箭，他的大腿也受了伤。
“把我送回西班牙，”他说，“我永远不会找到青春之泉。”
他的船带他回到了古巴，但他的伤无法医治。他在痛苦中拖了很长的时间，最后在哀叹他早逝的青春的遗憾中死去了。
The Fountain of Youth
AMONG the Spaniards who flocked to America in the hope of finding gold, there was a certain officer whose name was Juan Ponce de León. He had distinguished himself in the Spanish army and was very rich. He also had much influence with the king—so much, in fact, that he was soon appointed governor of all the eastern part of Haiti.
While attending to his duties in Haiti, he learned that at some distance farther eastward there was a rich island abounding in gold and other precious metals. The Indians called this island Borinquen; it was the same land which Columbus had discovered a few years before and called Porto Rico.
Ponce de León was so much pleased by the reports which were brought to him of the great wealth of Porto Rico that he at once made up his mind to get that wealth for himself. The king of Spain was very willing to please him and to hāve a share of the profits, and therefore appointed him governor of Porto Rico. Ponce was not a man to waste time in any undertaking. With eight stanch ships and several hundred men, he at once set sail for his new province and in due time landed upon the island.
The natives were kind and gentle. They welcomed the white men to their pleasant country and tried to help them in such ways as they could. Ponce de León repaid them as the Spaniards at that time usually repaid a kindness,—he robbed them of all they had and made slāves of as many as he could. Then at length the harassed sāvages turned against their oppressors and tried to drive them from the island; but what could they do against enemies so cunning and strong?
Ponce was as heartless and unfeeling as any wild beast. Soon the once happy island was filled with distress and terror. The Indians were hunted from their homes. Thousands of them were killed, and the rest became the slāves of their conq-uerors.
Ponce began to form a settlement at a place now called Pueblo Viejo; but he soon changed his plans and removed to a fine harbor on the north shore of the island. There he laid out the city of San Juan. He built for himself, near the mouth of the harbor, a grand house which he called Casa Blanca, or the White Castle; and there he made his home for some time.
青春之泉（3）
But, with all his wealth, Ponce was not happy. He had lived so carelessly and wildly that his youth went from him early. At fifty years of age he was a miserable old man. There was no more joy in the world for him.
One day as he was sitting unhappy in the White Castle, a thing occurred that kindled a spark of hope in his despairing mind. He overheard an Indian slāve say, “In Bimini no one grows old.”
“Bimini! What is Bimini?” he asked.
“It is a beautiful island that lies far, far to the north of us,” was the answer.
“Tell me about it.”
“There is a fountain there, a spring of clear water, the most wonderful in the world. Every one that bathes in it becomes as young and strong as he was in his best days. No one grows old in Bimini.”
“Hāve you ever been there?”
“Ah, no. It is too far away for any of our people to make the voyage. But we hāve heard talk of the fountain all our lives.”
Ponce asked other Indians about Bimini and its magic fountain. All had heard of it. It was a land fragrant with flowers. It lay far to the northwest—too far for frail canoes to venture. But the great ships of the white men could easily make the voyage in a few days.
Ponce made up his mind to discover the fountain. He first got the king’s permission to conquer Bimini, wherever it might be. Then with three ships and a number of followers he sailed toward the northwest. He passed through the great group of islands known as the Bahamas; and, wherever there were natives living, he stopped and made inquiries.
“Where is Bimini? Where is the magic fountain of youth?”
They pointed to the northwest. It was always a little farther and a little farther. No one had ever seen the fountain, but Ponce understood that every one had heard of it.
At length, after leāving the Bahamas far behind them, the Sp-aniards discovered a strange coast where the land seemed to be cov-ered with flowers. Was this Bimini?
Nobody could tell. The coast stretched so far northward and southward that Ponce felt sure it was no island but the mainland of a continent. The day was Easter Sunday, which in Spain is called Pascua de Flores, or the Feast of Flowers. For this reason, and also because of the abundance of flowers, the Spaniards named the land Florida.
Ponce de Le?仵n went on shore at many places and sought for the wonderful fountain. He drank from every clear spring. He bathed in many a limpid stream. But his lost youth did not come back to him.
He sailed southward and around to the western coast of Florida, asking everywhere, —
“Is this Bimini? And where is the fountain of youth?”
But the Indians who lived there had never heard of Bimini, and they knew of no fountain of youth. And so, at last, the search was given up, and Ponce returned disappointed to Porto Rico.
Nine years passed, and then he sailed again for Florida. This time he took a number of men with him in order to conquer the country and seize upon whatever treasures he might find there. More than this, he expected to explore its woods and rivers and seek again for the mysterious fountain of youth.
The Florida Indians did not hāve any treasures; but they were brāve and loved their homes. They would not be conquered and enslāved without a struggle. They therefore fell upon the Spaniards when they landed, and drove them back to their ships.
Ponce de Le?仵n was struck by an arrow. He was wounded in the thigh.
“Take me back to Spain,” said he, “for I shall never find the fountain of youth.”
His ship carried him to Cuba; but no skill could heal his wound. He lingered in pain for a long time, and then died, bewailing his lost youth.
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“我发现了！”（1）
从前，叙拉古有一个国王，他的名字叫希尔罗。他统治的国家非常小，正因为这个原因，他却想戴上世界上最大的王冠。所以，他找来一个擅长做各种细致精巧工艺品的著名金匠。希尔罗给了他十磅纯金。
“拿着，”希尔罗说，“用它做成其他国王都想得到的王冠。你得保证我给你的每一两黄金都不浪费，并且不能混进其它金属。”
“我会按你所说的去做的。我从你这里拿了十磅纯金，90天之后，我会如数奉还一个十磅的王冠的。”金匠说。
正如金匠所言，90天后，他奉献给国王一顶漂亮的王冠。所有见到的人都说，这个王冠无与伦比。希尔罗戴在头上感觉很不舒服，但是他并不在乎——他确定其它国王肯定没有这么精美的王冠。在对他的王冠反反复复地观赏了一番之后，他把王冠放在自己的天平上。不多不少，重量恰好是他所要求的。
“真该好好嘉奖你，”他对金匠说，“你制作得这么精致巧妙，而且一点黄金也没有少。”
国王的宫殿里有一个非常聪明的人，他叫阿基米德。当被召见欣赏国王的王冠时，他拿着王冠翻来覆去地看了很多次，还细心地检查。
“哦，你觉得这个王冠如何？”希尔罗问。
“手工的确很精巧，”阿基米德说，“但是，但是，金子——”
“金子全都在这里，”国王喊着，“我在天平上已经称过了。”
“确实如此，”阿基米德说，“但它却并不像原来金块那样富丽的红色，而且它一点都不是红色的。只是灿烂的黄|色，这是显而易见的。”
“绝大多数金子都是黄|色的，”希尔罗说，“但你说起这个，我想起当它还是金块的时候，的确颜色更深一些。”
“如果金匠从里面拿走一磅或两磅黄金，然后用白银或黄铜补足，会怎样呢？”阿基米德问。
“噢，他不会那么做的。”希尔罗说，“金子只是在制作过程中改变了颜色而已。”
但是越想他就越不舒服。最后，他对阿基米德说：“有什么方法检验一下，金匠的确欺骗了我，还是诚实地如数奉还了呢？”
“我毫无办法。”阿基米德说。
但阿基米德不是那种轻言放弃的人。他对难题怀有极大的兴趣。如果有什么难题让他迷惑不解时，他就会一直研究，直到得出答案来。几天来，他思考着黄金的事情，用各种方法检验，破解怎么做到检验但又不将王冠损坏的方法。
一天早晨，他在准备洗澡时还在思考这个问题。大浴盆里的水装得满满的，一直到了盆的边缘。当他跨进浴盆的时候，一些水溢到了石板上。类似的事情以前发生过上百次，但阿基米德第一次注意到了这件事。
“当我跨进到浴盆时，有多少水溢了出来呢？”他自语道，“大家都可以看出溢出水的体积和我身体的体积相等。一个有我一半体积的人，就会溢出一半的水。”
“现在假设，并不是我自己跨进这个浴盆，而是将希尔罗的王冠放进去，有和王冠体积一样的水溢出来。嗯，想想，黄金远比银子重。十磅纯金的体积不可能和七磅的黄金和三磅的白银混合的物体体积一样。如果国王的王冠是纯金的，那么它溢出的水，应该和其它十磅纯金的体积是一样的。但是如果它一部分是黄金，一部分是白银，那么排出水的体积应该比十磅纯金的体积大。我彻底明白了！我发现了！我发现了！”
他忘记了其他事情，从浴盆里蹦了出来，衣服都没有穿好，就穿过大街朝着国王的宫殿一路喊道：“尤里卡！尤里卡！尤里卡！”这是句拉丁语，意即“我发现了！我发现了！”
王冠被拿去检验。结果，王冠溢出的水比十磅纯金溢出的水多出许多。事实证明，金匠有罪。但是，金匠是否受到了惩罚，我不知道，也不关心。
阿基米德在浴盆中的这个小小发现的价值，远远超过国王的王冠。你知道为什么吗？
“我发现了！”（2）
“Eureka!”
THERE was once a king of Syracuse whose name was Hiero. The country over which he ruled was quite small, but for that very reason he wanted to wear the biggest crown in the world. So he called in a famous goldsmith, who was skillful in all kinds of fine work, and gāve him ten pounds of pure gold.
“Take this,” he said, “and fashion it into a crown that shall make every other king want it for his own. Be sure that you put into it every grain of the gold I give you, and do not mix any other metal with it.”
“It shall be as you wish,” said the goldsmith.“Here I receive from you ten pounds of pure gold; within ninety days I will return to you the finished crown which shall be of exactly the same weight.”
Ninety days later, true to his word, the goldsmith brought the crown. It was a beautiful piece of work, and all who saw it said that it had not its equal in the world. When King Hiero put it on his head it felt very uncomfortable, but he did not mind that—he was sure that no other king had so fine a headpiece. After he had admired it from this side and from that, he weighed it on his own scales. It was exactly as heāvy as he had ordered.
“You deserve great praise,” he said to the goldsmith. “You hāve wrought very skillfully and you hāve not lost a grain of my gold.”
There was in the king’s court a very wise man whose name was Archimedes. When he was called in to admire the king’s crown he turned it over many times and examined it very closely.
“Well, what do you think of it?” asked Hiero.
“The workmanship is indeed very beautiful,” answered Archimedes, “but—but the gold—”
“The gold is all there,” cried the king.“I weighed it on my own scales.”
“True,” said Archimedes,“but it does not appear to hāve the same rich red color that it had in the lump. It is not red at all, but a brilliant yellow, as you can plainly see.”
“Most gold is yellow,” said Hiero，“but now that you speak of it I do remember that when this was in the lump it had a much richer color.”
“What if the goldsmith has kept out a pound or two of the gold and made up the weight by adding brass or silver?” asked Archimedes.
“Oh, he could not do that,” said Hiero. “The gold has merely changed its color in the working.”
But the more he thought of the matter the less pleased he was with the crown. At last he said to Archimedes, “Is there any way to find out whether that goldsmith really cheated me, or whether he honestly gāve me back my gold?”
“I know of no way,” was the answer.
But Archimedes was not the man to say that anything was impossible. He took great delight in working out hard problems, and when any question puzzled him he would keep studying until he found some sort of answer to it. And so, day after day, he thought about the gold and tried to find some way by which it could be tested without doing harm to the crown.
“我发现了！”（3）
One morning he was thinking of this question while he was getting ready for a bath. The great bowl or tub was full to the very edge, and as he stepped into it a quantity of water flowed out upon the stone floor. A similar thing had happened a hundred times before, but this was the first time that Archimedes had thought about it.
“How much water did I displace by getting into the tub?” he asked himself. “Anybody can see that I displaced a bulk of water equal to the bulk of my body. A man half my size would displace half as much.
“Now suppose, instead of putting myself into the tub, I had put Hiero’s crown into it, it would hāve displaced a bulk of water equal to its own bulk. All, let me see! Gold is much heāvier than silver. Ten pounds of pure gold will not make so great a bulk as say seven pounds of gold mixed with three pounds of silver. If Hiero’s crown is pure gold it will displace the same bulk of water as any other ten pounds of pure gold. But if it is part gold and part silver it will displace a larger bulk. I hāve it at last! Eureka! Eureka!”
Forgetful of everything else he leaped from the bath. Without stopping to dress himself, he ran through the streets to the king’s palace shouting, “Eureka! Eureka! Eureka!” which in English means, “I hāve found it! I hāve found it! I hāve found it!”
The crown was tested. It was found to displace much more water than ten pounds of pure gold displaced. The guilt of the goldsmith was proved beyond a doubt. But whether he was punished or not, I do not know, neither does it matter.
The simple discovery which Archimedes made in his bath tub was worth far more to the world than Hiero’s crown. Can you tell why?
伽利略和灯
300多年前，意大利有一个名叫伽利略的年轻人。和阿基米德一样，他也在一刻不停地思考问题。还喜欢探究事物的根源。他发明了温度计，还发明了简单的望远镜和显微镜。在科学上，他有许多重要的发明。
18岁那年，快到掌灯的时候，他正在比萨大教堂。那个时代，灯只能靠油来点燃，并用一根木竿挂在天花板上。当灯夫碰到它们，或者风吹过教堂时，它们就会像钟摆似的来回摇摆。伽利略注意到了这个问题。于是他开始仔细地研究它。