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That evil influence which carried me first away from my father's house—which hurried me into the wild and indigested notion of raising my fortune, and that impressed those conceits so forcibly upon me as to make me deaf to all good advice, and to the entreaties and even the commands of my father—I say, the same influence, whatever it was, presented the most unfortunate of all enterprises to my view; and I went on board a vessel bound to the coast of Africa; or, as our sailors vulgarly called it, a voyage to Guinea.
起初，那种邪恶的力量使我离开了家——它让我充满狂乱无知的幻想，做着发财梦。我的这种想法是如此强烈，以至于我忽视了所有善意的忠告，对我父亲的恳请和命令也充耳不闻。我是说，正是这种我不知道其为何物的影响力促使我去干起了天下最不幸的事业。我登上了一艘即将开往非洲海岸的船，水手们普遍称其为 “去往几内亚的航行” 。
It was my great misfortune that in all these adventures I did not ship myself as a sailor; when, though I might indeed have worked a little harder than ordinary, yet at the same time I should have learnt the duty and office of a foremast man, and in time might have qualified myself for a mate or lieutenant, if not for a master. But as it was always my fate to choose for the worse, so I did here; for having money in my pocket and good clothes upon my back, I would always go on board in the habit of a gentleman; and so I neither had any business in the ship, nor learned to do any.
十分不幸的是，我在以前的冒险中从来没在船上当过水手。然而，那时候我的确本该比平常干活卖力些，同时学习学习水手的职责和工作。不出时日，即使我当不上船长，也够格做个大副或者船长助手了。但是，我的命运注定我常常都作出最糟糕的选择，这时候也是一样。由于我口袋里有一些钱，身上的衣着也算光鲜，我便习惯以绅士的身份登船，从不参与船上事务，也不去学。
It was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good company in London, which does not always happen to such loose and misguided young fellows as I then was; the devil generally not omitting to lay some snare for them very early; but it was not so with me. I first got acquainted with the master of a ship who had been on the coast of Guinea; and who, having had very good success there, was resolved to go again. This captain taking a fancy to my conversation, which was not at all disagreeable at that time, hearing me say I had a mind to see the world, told me if I would go the voyage with him I should be at no expense; I should be his messmate and his companion; and if I could carry anything with me, I should have all the advantage of it that the trade would admit; and perhaps I might meet with some encouragement.
我在伦敦凭运气结交到了好朋友。这种事是不会经常发生在我这种放纵的迷途青年身上的。魔鬼一般不会忘记早早地为他们铺设陷阱，但对我而言却不是这样。我和一位去过几内亚沿岸的船长相识，在那里他的生意做得相当不错，所以决心再去一次。这个船长对我的话有些兴趣，那时我的言辞还不十分令人生厌。他听说我立志出去见世面，就告诉我如果我和他一同出海，他就免收我的船费。我可以成为他的同膳伙伴和朋友。如果我想带一些货物，他会告诉我什么东西最赚钱，这样也许我能发一笔财。
I embraced the offer; and entering into a strict friendship with this captain, who was an honest, plain dealing man, I went the voyage with him, and carried a small adventure with me, which, by the disinterested honesty of my friend the captain, I increased very considerably; for I carried about 40pounds in such toys and trifles as the captain directed me to buy. These 40pounds I had mustered together by the assistance of some of my relations whom I corresponded with; and who, I believe, got my father, or at least my mother, to contribute so much as that to my first adventure.
我欣然接受了这个提议，并和这个诚实公道的船长成了极好的朋友。我和他一起出航，带了少量货品。多亏了船长朋友的诚实无私，我在他的指点下带了些玩具和其他小玩意，大约值四十英镑，结果大赚了一笔。我和一些亲戚还有些书信往来，这四十英镑便是在他们的帮助下筹集的。我相信他们应该是告诉了我父亲，或者至少让我母亲得知了此事，然后由我父母出钱资助了我的第一笔生意。
This was the only voyage which I may say was successful in all my adventures, which I owe to the integrity and honesty of my friend the captain; under whom also I got a competent knowledge of the mathematics and the rules of navigation, learned how to keep an account of the ship's course, take an observation, and, in short, to understand some things that were needful to be understood by a sailor; for, as he took delight to instruct me, I took delight to learn; and, in a word, this voyage made me both a sailor and a merchant; for I brought home five pounds nine ounces of gold dust for my adventure, which yielded me in London, at my return, almost 300pounds; and this filled me with those aspiring thoughts which have since so completed my ruin.
可以说，这是我经历的所有冒险中唯一成功的一次。这多亏了船长朋友的正直和诚实。在他的教授下，我掌握了足够的关于航海的数学知识和方法，学会了如何记录船的航线以及进行海上观测。简言之，我懂得了一些水手应该懂的东西。他乐意教，我也乐意学。总之，这次出航使我成了一名水手兼商人。这次冒险，我带回了五磅零九盎司的金沙，在伦敦我拿它们换回了约三百英镑。这下我变得利欲熏心，从此将自己断送。
Yet even in this voyage I had my misfortunes too; particularly, that I was continually sick, being thrown into a violent calenture by the excessive heat of the climate; our principal trading being upon the coast, from latitude of 15degrees north even to the line itself.
不过，即使是在这次航行中，我也遭遇过不幸。尤其是因为我们的买卖主要在非洲沿岸进行，从北纬15度往南延伸到甚至赤道附近，那里酷热的气候让我得了严重的热病，身体一直不好。
I was now set up for a Guinea trader; and my friend, to my great misfortune, dying soon after his arrival, I resolved to go the same voyage again, and I embarked in the same vessel with one who was his mate in the former voyage, and had now got the command of the ship. This was the unhappiest voyage that ever man made; for though I did not carry quite 100pounds of my new gained wealth, so that I had 200pounds left, which I had lodged with my friend's widow, who was very just to me, yet I fell into terrible misfortunes. The first was this: our ship making her course towards the Canary Islands, or rather between those islands and the African shore, was surprised in the grey of the morning by a Turkish rover of Sallee, who gave chase to us with all the sail she could make. We crowded also as much canvas as our yards would spread, or our masts carry, to get clear; but finding the pirate gained upon us, and would certainly come up with us in a few hours, we prepared to fight; our ship having twelve guns, and the rogue eighteen. About three in the afternoon he came up with us, and bringing to, by mistake, just athwart our quarter, instead of athwart our stern, as he intended, we brought eight of our guns to bear on that side, and poured in a broadside upon him, which made him sheer off again, after returning our fire, and pouring in also his small shot from near two hundred men which he had on board. However, we had not a man touched, all our men keeping close. He prepared to attack us again, and we to defend ourselves. But laying us on board the next time upon our other quarter, he entered sixty men upon our decks, who immediately fell to cutting and hacking the sails and rigging. We plied them with small shot, half pikes, powder chests, and such like, and cleared our deck of them twice. However, to cut short this melancholy part of our story, our ship being disabled, and three of our men killed, and eight wounded, we were obliged to yield, and were carried all prisoners into Sallee, a port belonging to the Moors.
我现在成了一个专做几内亚生意的商人了。不幸的是，我的船长朋友在回到伦敦后不久就过世了。我决心再次前往几内亚，于是又登上了上次那艘船。上次航行中的大副现在当上了船长。在所有的航行之中，这是最为不幸的一次。我从刚赚到的钱里只拿出不到一百英镑买了货带着，还有两百英镑剩下，寄存在待我十分公正的船长的遗孀那里。但是，接下来我遭遇了一系列可怕的灾祸。头一桩不幸的事是这样的：我们的船正开往加那利群岛，更准确地说是在这些岛屿和非洲海岸之间行驶。一天早上，天还是灰蒙蒙的，一艘从萨累驶来的土耳其海盗船突然张满帆向我们追来。我们也在帆布和桅杆的承受范围之内尽可能地张满帆，想要逃走。但是我们发现海盗船还是逼近了我们，并且肯定会在几个小时之内赶上我们的船。我们便开始着手准备战斗。我们的船上有十二门火炮，而海盗的船上却有十八门。下午三点左右，海盗船赶上了我们，他们本想袭击我们的船尾，但是却误朝我们的船后舷横冲过来。我们把八门火炮移到了后舷那边，在船舷边朝他们密集开炮。海盗船一面避让一面反击，船上大概有二百人持枪向我们猛烈射击。我们都隐蔽得很巧妙，所以没有一个人被打到。海盗船准备再次袭击我们，我们也做好了防御准备。但是这次他们从另一侧船舷靠过来，并有六十多人跳到我们的甲板上，一上来就乱砍船帆和索具。我们不断地用枪、短矛和炸药包等回击他们，两次将他们从甲板上击退。不过，我不愿详细叙述这段伤心往事。简言之，最终我们的船丧失了战斗的能力，我们当中有三人死亡，八人受伤。我们被迫投降，又全部被作为囚犯给送到了摩尔人统治下的港口——萨累。
The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at first I apprehended; nor was I carried up the country to the emperor's court, as the rest of our men were, but was kept by the captain of the rover as his proper prize, and made his slave, being young and nimble, and fit for his business. At this surprising change of my circumstances, from a merchant to a miserable slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed; and now I looked back upon my father's prophetic discourse to me, that I should be miserable and have none to relieve me, which I thought was now so effectually brought to pass that I could not be worse; for now the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was undone without redemption; but, alas! This was but a taste of the misery I was to go through, as will appear in the sequel of this story.
我在那里所受到的处置，并没有像我起初担忧的那样可怕。我没有像我们中的其他人那样，被送到皇帝的宫廷里去，而是被作为奖赏留给了海盗船的船长，做了他的奴隶。我年轻又聪明伶俐，正好为他所用。我的境遇突然间发生了改变，从一个商人变成了一个可悲的奴隶，真令我无比悲痛。如今回想起父亲对我的预言，他说我必将经历苦难，无人相助。现在我觉得父亲的话变成了现实，我的情况糟糕透顶。老天已经惩罚我了，我完了，没人能够救我。但是，天啊！这只是我将要经历的苦难的一小部分，我以后会详细说明这一点。
As my new patron, or master, had taken me home to his house, so I was in hopes that he would take me with him when he went to sea again, believing that it would some time or other is his fate to be taken by a Spanish or Portugal man—of—war; and that then I should be set at liberty. But this hope of mine was soon taken away; for when he went to sea, he left me on shore to look after his little garden, and do the common drudgery of slaves about his house; and when he came home again from his cruise, he ordered me to lie in the cabin to look after the ship.
我的新主人把我带到他的家里。我希望他再次出海的时候能够带着我，因为我觉得他早晚会被西班牙或者葡萄牙的军舰抓住，而那时我就能够获得自由了。但是我的这种希望不久就破灭了。因为他在出海时总是把我留在岸上照管他的小花园，以及在他家做一些奴隶该做的苦差事。当他从海上归来后，就命令我住在船舱里看船。
Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method I might take to effect it, but found no way that had the least probability in it; nothing presented to make the supposition of it rational; for I had nobody to communicate it to that would embark with me—no fellow slave, no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotchman there but myself; so that for two years, though I often pleased myself with the imagination, yet I never had the least encouraging prospect of putting it in practice.
在这里，我脑中只计划着用什么方法逃跑，别的什么也不想。但是我想不出来一个稍微可行点的方法。我实在不具备成功逃亡的条件，我找不到伙伴一起商量逃跑计划——我只身一人，身边没有别的奴隶，没有英格兰人、爱尔兰人或者苏格兰人。两年就这样过去了。虽然我总是通过幻想计划实现来安慰自己，但是我从来没有付诸实践的机会。
After about two years, an odd circumstance presented itself, which put the old thought of making some attempt for my liberty again in my head. My patron lying at home longer than usual without fitting out his ship, which, as I heard, was for want of money, he used constantly, once or twice a week, sometimes oftener if the weather was fair, to take the ship's pinnace and go out into the road a fishing; and as he always took me and young Maresco with him to row the boat, we made him very merry, and I proved very dexterous in catching fish; insomuch that sometimes he would send me with a Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the youth—the Maresco, as they called him—to catch a dish of fish for him.
大概两年之后，出现了一个特别的时机，我又开始在脑中盘算起以前就想过的获取自由的计划。我的主人这次在家呆的时间比平时长些，我听说是因为缺钱，他没有为出航配备好大船。那时他常常坐着大船上的一只小艇外出去锚地捕鱼，一星期能去一两次，天气好的时候去得就更加频繁。他总是带着我和一个摩尔小孩一起去捕鱼，让我们帮他划船。我们很能讨他的欢心，我又很会捕鱼，所以有时他会让我和他的一个摩尔人亲戚，以及那个被叫做 “马雷斯科” 的小孩出海捕鱼给他吃。
It happened one time, that going a fishing in a calm morning, a fog rose so thick that, though we were not half a league from the shore, we lost sight of it; and rowing we knew not whither or which way, we laboured all day, and all the next night; and when the morning came we found we had pulled off to sea instead of pulling in for the shore; and that we were at least two leagues from the shore. However, we got well in again, though with a great deal of labour and some danger; for the wind began to blow pretty fresh in the morning; but we were all very hungry.
碰巧有一次，我们在一个风平浪静的早晨出航捕鱼。一股浓雾升起，虽然我们离岸边只有不到半里格远，但是已经看不见海岸了。划船的时候我们已经辨不清方向了，于是划了整整一天一夜，直到第二天早晨才发现，我们非但没有靠近海岸，反而离海岸越来越远了。那时我们离岸边最少有两里格远。不过最终，我们还是冒险划回了岸边。因为早上风开始吹得很紧，我们费了很大的力气才靠岸，这时候我们都很饿了。
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more care of himself for the future; and having lying by him the longboat of our English ship that he had taken, he resolved he would not go a fishing any more without a compass and some provision; so he ordered the carpenter of his ship, who also was an English slave, to build a little stateroom, or cabin, in the middle of the long boat, like that of a barge, with a place to stand behind it to steer, and haul home the mainsheet; the room before for a hand or two to stand and work the sails. She sailed with what we call a shoulder of mutton sail; and the boom jibed over the top of the cabin, which lay very snug and low, and had in it room for him to lie, with a slave or two, and a table to eat on, with some small lockers to put in some bottles of such liquor as he thought fit to drink; and his bread, rice, and coffee.
这场灾难提醒了我们的主人，他决心以后要更加小心行事，若没带着指南针和一些食物，决不出海捕鱼。而我们那艘被他抢来的英国船上正好有一只大艇，他就命令他船上的木匠——也是一个英国奴隶——在大艇中部做一个小小的船舱，就像驳船上的那样。船舱后面有空间，能让人站在那里掌舵并收回帆脚索；船舱前面也有空间，可以站上一两个人升降船帆。大艇上用的是被我们称作三角帆的那种船帆，帆杠悬在船舱的顶上。船舱虽矮但很舒适，舱里有足够的空间供他和一两个奴隶躺下睡觉，还摆了一张饭桌。桌子里有一些小抽屉，里面放着几瓶他喜欢喝的酒，以及他的面包、米饭和咖啡。
We went frequently out with this boat fishing; and as I was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went without me. It happened that he had appointed to go out in this boat, either for pleasure or for fish, with two or three Moors of some distinction in that place, and for whom he had provided extraordinarily, and had, therefore, sent on board the boat overnight a larger store of provisions than ordinary; and had ordered me to get ready three fuses with powder and shot, which were on board his ship, for that they designed some sport of fowling as well as fishing.
我们经常乘这艘大艇出海捕鱼。因为我很会捕鱼，所以他每次都带上我。有一次，他和当地的两三个有头有脸的摩尔人约好，要坐这艘大艇出去游玩或者捕鱼。为了招待这些人，他做了精心的准备，在前一天晚上就把比平时丰盛得多的食物送到了船上。他让我从他的大船上拿三支枪，并装好弹药。因为他们不仅计划捕鱼，还想打打海鸟。
I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the next morning with the boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, and everything to accommodate his guests; when by—and—by my patron came on board alone, and told me his guests had put off going from some business that fell out, and ordered me, with the man and boy, as usual, to go out with the boat and catch them some fish, for that his friends were to sup at his house, and commanded that as soon as I got some fish I should bring it home to his house; all which I prepared to do.
我按他的指示把所有东西都准备好，第二天一大早就洗净了那条船，还挂起了三角旗。万事俱备，我就等着招待客人。过了片刻，我的主人独自一人上了船，告诉我他的客人们突然有事情不能出海了，但会去他家吃晚饭。他命令我像以前那样，和那个摩尔人以及那个小孩一起，乘船出海捕鱼给客人吃。他命令我们一打到鱼就送回他家，我准备全部照他说的做。
This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into my thoughts, for now I found I was likely to have a little ship at my command; and my master being gone, I prepared to furnish myself, not for fishing business, but for a voyage; though I knew not, neither did I so much as consider, whither I should steer—anywhere to get out of that place was my desire.
这时候，旧时想要获得自由的想法又跳了出来，因为我现在有条小船了。主人刚走开，我就积极准备起来，不是为了捕鱼，而是为了出航。虽然我不知道，也没有考虑过我应该到哪里去——我只一心想逃离这里。
My first contrivance was to make pretence to speak to this Moor, to get something for our subsistence on board; for I told him we must not presume to eat of our patron's bread. He said that was true; so he brought a large basket of rusk or biscuit, and three jars of fresh water, into the boat. I knew where my patron's case of bottles stood, which it was evident, by the make, were taken out of some English prize, and I conveyed them into the boat while the Moor was on shore, as if they had been there before for our master. I conveyed also a great lump of beeswax into the boat, which weighed about half a hundredweight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all of which were of great use to us afterwards, especially the wax, to make candles. Another trick I tried upon him, which he innocently came into also: his name was Ishmael, which they call Mulley, or Moely; so I called to him— "Moely, " said I, "our patron's guns are on board the boat; can you not get a little powder and shot? It may be we may kill some alcamies （a fowl like our curlews）for ourselves, for I know he keeps the gunner's stores in the ship. " "Yes, " says he, "I'll bring some; " and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch, which held a pound and a half of powder, or rather more; and another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with some bullets, and put all into the boat. At the same time I had found some powder of my master's in the great cabin, with which I filled one of the large bottles in the case, which was almost empty, pouring what was in it into another; and thus furnished with everything needful, we sailed out of the port to fish. The castle, which is at the entrance of the port, knew who we were, and took no notice of us; and we were not above a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail and set us down to fish. The wind blew from the N.N. E., which was contrary to my desire, for had it blown southerly I had been sure to have made the coast of Spain, and at least reached to the bay of Cadiz; but my resolutions were, blow which way it would, I would be gone from that horrid place where I was, and leave the rest to fate.
我计划首先找借口对这个摩尔人说，我们不该擅自吃主人的面包，而应该自己准备一些在船上吃的食物。他说我说的很在理，于是就拿来了一大篮子既像甜面包干又像饼干的食物和三罐淡水放在大艇上。我知道主人放酒的箱子在哪里，从那箱子的样子看，明显就是从英国人那里抢回来的战利品。趁摩尔人在岸上的时候，我把那箱酒运到大艇上放好，让它们看起来就像是主人以前就摆在那里似的。我还把一大堆大概半英担重的蜜蜡弄进大艇里，又拿了一包麻绳、一把斧子、一把锯子和一把锤子。它们后来起的作用都很大，特别是蜜蜡，可用来做蜡烛。我给摩尔人又设了一个圈套，他也天真地中计了。他的名字是伊什梅尔，别人都叫他马利或是莫利。于是我叫他—— “莫利，” 我说， “我们主人的枪在船里，你能不能弄些枪弹来？我们也许能给自己打些海鸟（当地有种类似于我们所说的麻鹬的海鸟）。我知道主人把火药放在了大船上。” “好，” 他说， “那我拿一些过来。” 然后他果真拿来了一大皮袋火药，大概有一磅半重还多。他还拿来了有五六磅重的鸟枪弹以及一些子弹，并把所有东西都放进了大艇里。同时，我在主人的大舱里面也发现了一些火药。我在酒箱里找到一个差不多空了的大酒瓶，把里面剩下的酒倒进另外一个瓶子里，然后把找到的火药装到这个空瓶子里。准备好了一切必需的东西，我们就乘着大艇离开港口捕鱼去了。港口入口处有个堡垒，堡垒里的看守知道我们的身份，就没有注意我们。驶出港口不到一海里，我们就卸下船帆开始捕鱼了。风从正北以东吹来，与我的愿望相左。如果吹的是南风的话，我肯定能到达西班牙沿岸，至少能到达西班牙加的斯湾。但是我已经下定决心，不管吹的是什么风，我一定要离开我所在的那个可怕之地，其他的就交给上帝吧。
After we had fished some time and caught nothing—for when I had fish on my hook I would not pull them up, that he might not see them—I said to the Moor, "This will not do; our master will not be thus served; we must stand farther off. " He, thinking no harm, agreed, and being in the head of the boat, set the sails; and, as I had the helm, I ran the boat out near a league farther, and then brought her to, as if I would fish; when, giving the boy the helm, I stepped forward to where the Moor was, and making as if I stooped for something behind him, I took him by surprise with my arm under his waist, and tossed him clear overboard into the sea. He rose immediately, for he swam like a cork, and called to me, begged to be taken in, told me he would go all over the world with me. He swam so strong after the boat that he would have reached me very quickly, there being but little wind; upon which I stepped into the cabin, and fetching one of the fowling pieces, I presented it at him, and told him I had done him no hurt, and if he would be quiet I would do him none. "But, " said I, "you swim well enough to reach to the shore, and the sea is calm; make the best of your way to shore, and I will do you no harm; but if you come near the boat I'll shoot you through the head, for I am resolved to have my liberty; " so he turned himself about, and swam for the shore, and I make no doubt but he reached it with ease, for he was an excellent swimmer.
我们钓了一会儿鱼，却一无所获——因为就算有鱼上钩我也不拉上来，这样做那个摩尔人是看不到的——我对他说： “这样是行不通的，这样的话我们就没东西煮给主人吃了。我们必须再走远一些。” 他觉得这样也不坏，就同意了。他站在船头，张起了帆。正好由我来掌舵，我就把船又开了一里格远，然后停下来，作出要捕鱼的样子。我把船舵交给那孩子，向前往摩尔人站的地方走去。我在他身后装作弯腰找东西，趁他不备突然用胳膊撞了一下他的腰，然后把他推进了海里。这摩尔人水性极好，马上就浮了上来。他向我大声呼喊，求我让他上船，说他愿意随我走遍全世界。这时海上风很小，他跟在船后游得很快，眼看就要赶上来了。我去船舱拿出一把用来打海鸟的枪，把枪口对准了他，告诉他说，我并没有伤到他，如果他能安静点的话，我也不会这样做。我说： “不过呢，你游泳的技术这么高，完全能自己游回岸边。现在海面平静，你还是尽快游回去吧，我不会伤害你的。但是如果你靠近这船的话，我就开枪打穿你的脑袋。我这次是铁了心要逃走了。” 听到这些，他便掉头向岸边游去。我丝毫不怀疑他能轻松地游回去，因为他确实是个游泳好手。