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LESSON 54 Brave women
第五十四課 勇敢的女人們
Upon the banks of a river in the State of Kentucky,
在肯塔基州靠近河岸的地方，
there was once a fort to which the settlers frequently resorted as a place of refuge from the savages.
曾經有一個要塞，定居者們經常將其作為躲避野蠻人的避難所。
Its gallant defence by a handful of pioneers against the allied Indians of Ohio,
它是英勇的國防先鋒隊與俄亥俄州的盟軍印第安人交戰的地方，
led by two renegade white men, was one of the most desperate affairs in the Indian wars of the West.
這些印第安人由兩個叛變的白人率領，這是西部印第安戰爭中最絕望的事情之一。
The pioneers had not the slightest idea of their approach,
先鋒隊對于他們逼近好似沒有絲毫察覺，
when, in a moment, a thousand rifles gleamed in the corn-fields one summer night!
直到在一個時刻，一千步槍在一個夏夜閃爍在玉米田里！
That very evening the garrison had chanced to gather under arms,
當天傍晚，駐軍就已經冒險帶著武器聚集，
to march to the relief of another station that was similarly invested.
前去救援另一個同樣被圍攻的據點。
They were therefore unexpectedly prepared for the attack.
他們準備突襲。
The Indians saw at a glance that the moment was not favourable to them;
印第安人一眼就看到這對他們不利；
and having failed to surprise the garrison,
他們也未能對駐軍造成奇襲，
they attempted to decoy them from the fastness by presenting themselves in small parties before it.
他們派出小部隊，試圖引誘他們從堡壘里面出來。
The whites were too wise to risk a battle till help should arrive, so they resolved to stand a siege.
白人太聰明，在救援到達前不想冒險戰斗，所以他們決定圍攻。
But the fort, which was merely a collection of log cabins, arranged in a hollow square,
但是這個要塞，僅僅只不過是幾間小木屋，坐落在一個空曠的廣場，
was unhappily not supplied with water;
不幸的是里面沒有供水；
and the besieged were aware that the enemy had placed his real force in ambush near a neighbouring spring.
被圍困的人知道，他們的敵人已經把真正的兵力埋伏在臨近一個泉水邊。
The females of the station determined to supply it with water from this very spring!
這個據點的女人們決定用這個泉中的水來給要塞做供給！
But how? Woman's wit never devised a bolder plan,
但是怎樣供應呢？女人的智慧從未提出過這樣大膽的計劃，
and woman's courage never carried one more dangerous into successful execution.
女人的勇氣也從未把一個更危險的計劃付諸實施。
