Английский язык с Р. Л. Стивенсоном. Остров сокровищ

All told, we had scarce two miles to run (в общем и целом, нам предстояло пройти не больше двух миль); but the navigation was delicate (но плавание было затруднительное; delicate — утонченный, деликатный, острый)

, the entrance to this northern anchorage was not only narrow and shoal, but lay east and west (вход в северную стоянку был не только узким и мелководным, но и лежал к востоку и западу = был очень извилистым; shoal — мелководье, отмель), so that the schooner must be nicely handled to be got in (так что шхуна должна была быть безупречно управляема, чтобы попасть туда). I think I was a good, prompt subaltern

(думаю, я был хорошим, исполнительным подчиненным; prompt — проворный, скорый, оперативный), and I am very sure that Hands was an excellent pilot (и уверен, что Хендс был превосходным лоцманом); for we went about and about, and dodged in, shaving the banks (потому что мы ходили туда-сюда = лавировали, избегали /мелей/, почти задевая: «брея» берега)

, with a certainty and a neatness that were a pleasure to behold (с /такой/ уверенностью и аккуратностью, что были удовольствием = любо было на нас посмотреть).

foul [fəul] foolery [`fu:lərɪ] navigation [nævɪ`geɪʃn] subaltern [`sʌbltən] dodged [dɔʤd]

“For thirty years,” he said, “I’ve sailed the seas, and seen good and bad, better and worse, fair weather and foul, provisions running out, knives going, and what not. Well, now I tell you, I never seen good come o’ goodness yet. Him as strikes first is my fancy; dead men don’t bite; them’s my views — amen, so be it. And now, you look here,” he added, suddenly changing his tone, “we’ve had about enough of this foolery. The tide’s made good enough by now. You just take my orders, Cap’n Hawkins, and we’ll sail slap in and be done with it.”

All told, we had scarce two miles to run; but the navigation was delicate, the entrance to this northern anchorage was not only narrow and shoal, but lay east and west, so that the schooner must be nicely handled to be got in. I think I was a good, prompt subaltern, and I am very sure that Hands was an excellent pilot; for we went about and about, and dodged in, shaving the banks, with a certainty and a neatness that were a pleasure to behold.