In Gambia, as in most parts of Africa, there are few written records of family histoy.
冈比亚同非洲多数地方一样，有关家族的书面记载为数极少。
冈比亚同非洲多数地方一样，有关家族的书面记载为数极少。
One of these men was found and he began to tell the story of this family group.
哈利在这些人中找到了一位，他开始谈起了这个家族的历史。
哈利在这些人中找到了一位，他开始谈起了这个家族的历史。
After speaking for about half an hour he came to a sad part of the family history.
大约谈了半个小时之后，他谈到了家族史中的一件伤心事。
大约谈了半个小时之后，他谈到了家族史中的一件伤心事。
One day a young man named Kunta Kinte went off into the forest to cut down a tree as he wanted to make a drum.
有一天，一位叫孔塔·肯特的年轻人走进森林中去砍树，因为他想做一个鼓。
有一天，一位叫孔塔·肯特的年轻人走进森林中去砍树，因为他想做一个鼓。
Kunta had been seized in the forest and then hit on the head with a hard object.
孔塔在森林里被抓住以后，他的头部就被一个硬的东西打了一下。
孔塔在森林里被抓住以后，他的头部就被一个硬的东西打了一下。
But they would not listen to him. When they came to the river, a white man was waiting in the boat for them.
但是他们不听，当他们来到江边时，一个白人正在船上等着他们。
但是他们不听，当他们来到江边时，一个白人正在船上等着他们。
There was an argument about money, so it seemed, in a language that Kunta did not understand.
看来他们在用孔塔听不懂的语言进行了一番讨价还价。
看来他们在用孔塔听不懂的语言进行了一番讨价还价。
Finally, Kunta was thrown into the bottom of the boat and covered with an old smelly cloth.
最后孔塔被扔进船底，盖上一条臭气熏天的旧布单。
最后孔塔被扔进船底，盖上一条臭气熏天的旧布单。
The men took him in their boat to the castle on the coast where he was now held prisoner.
这些人用船把他送到海岸上的城堡里，如今他被囚禁在这儿。
这些人用船把他送到海岸上的城堡里，如今他被囚禁在这儿。
For all his life, he had known that people suddenly disappeared from their villages.
他一生中，听说过有的人突然间在他们的村庄失踪了。
他一生中，听说过有的人突然间在他们的村庄失踪了。
A few days later about 140 black people were taken and put on a tall sailing ship waiting off the coast.
几天以后，大约140名黑人被带到一艘停靠在海岸边的大帆船上。
几天以后，大约140名黑人被带到一艘停靠在海岸边的大帆船上。
Once on the boat, they were taken bolow and their chains were fixed to two bars that ran the length of the ship.
一上船，他们就被带进底舱，他们的镣铐就被拴在两根从船的一头伸到另一头的铁杆上。
一上船，他们就被带进底舱，他们的镣铐就被拴在两根从船的一头伸到另一头的铁杆上。
They had rough weather, and Kunta’s back bled from rolling over on the hard wooden boards.
他们经历了恶劣的天气，孔塔的背部由于在硬木板上滚动而流了血。
他们经历了恶劣的天气，孔塔的背部由于在硬木板上滚动而流了血。
They sighed and cried out for more water, but food and water were only given out once a day.
他们叹息着，嚷着要水喝，而水和食物每天只发放一次。
他们叹息着，嚷着要水喝，而水和食物每天只发放一次。
Once in a while sailors came down, Kunta thought, to carry sick men upstairs for treatment.
偶尔水手下来，孔塔猜想是把生病的人抬上去进行治疗。
偶尔水手下来，孔塔猜想是把生病的人抬上去进行治疗。
When the ship finally arrived in a port, the wooden cover was opened wide and Kunta could see in daylight for the first time across the part of the ship where he had been chained.
当船终于到达一个港口时，木盖打开了，孔塔这才第一次在日光下扫视了他被拴在那儿的那一部分船舱。
当船终于到达一个港口时，木盖打开了，孔塔这才第一次在日光下扫视了他被拴在那儿的那一部分船舱。
In his youth, his father and grandfather often told him stories about their family history.
年轻时，他的父亲和祖父常常同他说起他们的家史。
年轻时，他的父亲和祖父常常同他说起他们的家史。
A long time ago, one of his ancestors who lived in Africa went into the forest to cut down a tree to make a drum.
很久以前，他那生活在非洲的祖先中有一人走进森林去砍树来做鼓。
很久以前，他那生活在非洲的祖先中有一人走进森林去砍树来做鼓。
He did a lot of research and travelled around the USA looking for information about his ancestors.
他做了大量的研究，在美国跑了许多地方，了解有关祖先的情况。
他做了大量的研究，在美国跑了许多地方，了解有关祖先的情况。
In this way he was able to find out where they lived, how many chidren they had, and where they died and were buried.
就这样，他了解到祖先的住处，有多少孩子，死在何处，葬在哪里。
就这样，他了解到祖先的住处，有多少孩子，死在何处，葬在哪里。
On day Haley met and African who was from Gambia, a small country on the west coast of Africa.
有一天，哈利碰到一位非洲人，他来自冈比亚--非洲西海岸的一个小国。
有一天，哈利碰到一位非洲人，他来自冈比亚--非洲西海岸的一个小国。
This person recognized the words for river and guitar, and so Haley thought that his ancestor must have come from Gambia.
这个人认出了表示“江”和“吉他”的这两个词，于是哈利就认为他的祖先准是来自冈比亚。
这个人认出了表示“江”和“吉他”的这两个词，于是哈利就认为他的祖先准是来自冈比亚。
His newspaper provided him with some money in order that he might travel to Gambia for his research.
他的报社给他提供了一些资金，以便他可以去冈比亚进行研究。
他的报社给他提供了一些资金，以便他可以去冈比亚进行研究。
Kunta knew it was the middle of the night, for through the small open window high in the wall he could see stars.
孔塔知道已经是半夜了，因为通过墙的上方开着的小窗，他能看到星星。
孔塔知道已经是半夜了，因为通过墙的上方开着的小窗，他能看到星星。
