The treeless zone, called "the barren-grounds," or simply "the barrens," extends southward from the ice-bound shores of the polar seas, and gradually merges into the forest-region, where it is encircled by a garland of evergreen. The want of trees in this region is caused not so much by its high northern latitude as by the cold sea-winds which sweep unchecked over the islands and the flat coast-lands of the Polar Ocean, and for miles and miles compel even the hardiest plant to crouch before the blast and creep along the ground. Nothing can be more melancholy than the aspect of the boundless morasses or arid wastes of the barrens of Siberia. Dingy mosses and gray lichens form the chief vegetation; and a few scanty grasses and dwarfish flowers that may have found a refuge in some more sheltered spot are not sufficient to relieve the dull monotony of the scene.
無樹木生長的地區叫做“貧瘠之地”，或者可以簡單稱之為“不毛之地”，該地區從冰封的極地海岸一直向南延伸，之后逐漸融入由常綠的花環包圍著的森林地帶。其不生長樹木的原因與其說是受過高的北緯緯度的影響，不如說是受那股肆無忌憚地吹過島嶼和極地海洋平坦海岸的海風的影響，在這股海風的逼迫之下，即使再堅韌的植物也被欺壓倒地。沒有什么能比無邊無際的沼澤和西伯利亞那片不毛之地的荒蕪景象更加令人傷感的了。暗黑色的苔蘚和灰色的地衣是那里的主要植被，而一些躲在避難所里的稀疏的草兒和矮小的花兒也無力為那單調乏味的景象增添一絲的明亮色彩。
In winter, when animal life has mostly retreated to the south, or sought a refuge in burrows and in caves, an awful silence, interrupted only by the hooting of a snow-owl or the yelping of a fox, reigns over this vast expanse; but in spring, when the brown earth reappears from under the melted snow, and the swamps begin to thaw, enormous flights of wild-birds return to the scene, and enliven it for a few months. An admirable instinct leads those winged legions from distant climes to the Arctic wildernesses, where, in the morasses and lakes, on the banks of the rivers, on the flat strands, and along the fish-teeming coasts, they find abundance of food; and where, at the same time, they can with greater security build their nests and rear their young. Some remain on the skirts of the forest-region; others, flying farther northward, lay their eggs upon the naked wastes.
到了冬天，多數的野生動物都遷徙到了南方或是鉆進洞穴里開始了漫長的冬眠，此時除了偶爾能聽到貓頭鷹和狐貍發出的叫聲外什么聲音都沒有，寂靜統治了這片遼闊之地。然而，等到了春天，冰雪開始融化，褐色的土壤再次露出地面，沼澤開始解凍，大量的野生鳥類也重新飛回家園，這時，這片區域就又能迎來那生機勃勃的幾個月。那些長著翅膀的飛鳥大軍會出于一種令人欽佩的本能從遙遠的地方遷徙到北極荒野，它們不僅能在北極荒野的沼澤和湖泊里、河岸上、平坦的海岸上、沿著魚類豐富的海岸找到大量的食物，在這里筑巢和養育后代也讓它們更有安全感。它們有的逗留在森林地區的邊緣，有的則向北飛去在那光禿禿的荒地上產卵。
Eagles and hawks follow the traces of the swimming and strand-birds; troops of ptarmigans roam among the stunted bushes; and when the sun shines, the finch or the snow-bunting warbles his merry note.
老鷹們跟隨著這些游禽和海鳥而來；成群的雷鳥在矮小的灌木叢里漫著步；到了太陽高照的時候，燕雀和雪鹀就會唱起歡快悅耳的歌聲來。
While thus the warmth of summer attracts hosts of migratory birds to the Arctic wildernesses, shoals of salmon and sturgeons enter the rivers, in obedience to the instinct that forces them to quit the seas and to swim up the streams, for the purpose of depositing their spawn in the tranquil sweet waters of the river or lake. About this time, also, the reindeer leaves the forests, to feed on the herbs and lichens of the barrens; and to seek along the shores, fanned by the cool sea-breeze, some protection against the attacks of the stinging flies that arise in myriads from the swamps.
到了夏天，溫暖的氣候吸引了大批的候鳥來到北極荒野，成群的大馬哈和鱘魚紛紛下水暢游，為了能在河流或者湖泊那寧靜而甜美的水域里產卵，它們在本能的驅使之下離開了海洋游向了溪流。也大約就在這個時候，馴鹿們也開始離開森林去吃那不毛之地的藥草和地衣，它們在涼爽的海風的吹拂下沿著海岸尋找庇護之地來抵御沼澤里那成群出現的帶刺的蒼蠅的攻擊。
Thus during several months the barrens presents an animate scene, in which man also plays his part. The birds of the air, the fishes of the water, the beasts of the earth, are all obliged to pay their tribute to his various wants—to appease his hunger, to clothe his body, or to gratify his greed of gain.
因此，在這幾個月里，荒原上呈現出一片生機勃勃的景象，而人類也在其中扮演著自己的角色。天上的鳥、水里的魚、地上的獸，它們都有義務向自己的各種需求致敬——緩解饑餓、穿衣裹腹、或者滿足自己的貪欲。
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