Account of My Travels游历记述

　　By Washington Irving

　　I was always fond of visiting new scenes, and observing strange　characters and manners. Even when a mere child I began my travels, and　made many tours of discovery into foreign parts and unknown regions of　my native city, to the frequent alarm of my parents, and the emolument　of the town-crier. As I grew into boyhood, I extended the range of　my observations. My holiday afternoons were spent in rambles about the　surrounding country. I made myself familiar with all its places famous　in history or fable. I knew every spot where a murder or robbery had　been committed, or a ghost seen. I visited the neighboring villages,　and added greatly to my stock of knowledge, by noting their habits and　customs, and conversing with their sages and great men. I even　journeyed one long summer's day to the summit of the most distant　hill, whence I stretched my eye over many a mile of terra incognita,　and was astonished to find how vast a globe I inhabited.

　　我总喜爱游览新奇美景，观赏奇风异俗。幼年之时，我便四处漫游，走过不少地方，深入故土的穷乡僻壤，作一番探索。为此，父母常感惊恐，不过公告传报员 [1]却受益不少。及至少年，观察范围更趋广泛。每逢假日下午，我便畅游四周。由此，历史上或传说中的著名地方，我无不知晓。哪里有过凶杀抢劫，哪里出现过幽灵，我均能一一告知。我去邻近的村庄，观察其风俗习惯，与贤明之士和不凡人物交谈，从而知识大增。在一个漫长的夏日，我甚至远走他乡，爬上一座高山，极目远眺，凝视尚未去过的陌生地带。目睹我所居住的地球广阔无垠，我惊叹不已。

　　This rambling propensity strengthened with my years. Books of　voyages and travels became my passion, and in devouring their　contents, I neglected the regular exercises of the school. How　wistfully would I wander about the pier-heads in fine weather, and　watch the parting ships, bound to distant climes- with what longing　eyes would I gaze after their lessening sails, and waft myself in　imagination to the ends of the earth!

　　我年岁愈增，愈加喜欢漫游。种种游记书籍，令我爱不释手，读得废寝忘食，以致把学校日常功课忽略。我多么渴望在风和日丽之际，漫步码头，看只只船儿远去。我心驰神往，凝视它们愈来愈小的风帆，想象中随之漂向天涯海角。