Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса

As she neared the city the warriors rushed out upon the plain to meet her, but it was evident that she still was too high for them to hope to reach her decks. From my vantage point in the window I could see the bodies of her crew strewn about, although I could not make out what manner of creatures they might be. Not a sign of life was manifest upon her as she drifted slowly with the light breeze in a southeasterly direction.

She was drifting some fifty feet above the ground (оно дрейфовало на высоте примерно пятидесяти футов над землей), followed by all but some hundred of the warriors (преследуемое всеми воинами, за исключением примерно сотни) who had been ordered back to the roofs (которым было приказано вернуться на крыши) to cover the possibility of a return of the fleet, or of reinforcements (чтобы подстраховаться от возможности возвращения флота или подкреплений; to cover — покрывать, прикрывать; предусматривать; reinforcement — подкрепление, пополнение). It soon became evident (вскоре стало очевидно) that she would strike the face of the buildings about a mile south of our position (что оно ударится о фасады зданий примерно на милю южнее нашей позиции), and as I watched the progress of the chase (и пока я наблюдал за ходом погони; progress — прогресс; ход, развитие) I saw a number of warriors gallop ahead (я увидел, /как/ несколько воинов мчатся галопом вперед) dismount and enter the building she seemed destined to touch (спешиваются и входят в здание, к которому кораблю, казалось, суждено было пристать).

follower ['fOlouq], reinforcement ["ri: In'fO: smqnt], destined ['destInd]

She was drifting some fifty feet above the ground, followed by all but some hundred of the warriors who had been ordered back to the roofs to cover the possibility of a return of the fleet, or of reinforcements. It soon became evident that she would strike the face of the buildings about a mile south of our position, and as I watched the progress of the chase I saw a number of warriors gallop ahead, dismount and enter the building she seemed destined to touch.

As the craft neared the building (когда судно приблизилось к зданию), and just before she struck (и как раз перед тем, как оно ударилось; to strike — ударять), the Martian warriors swarmed upon her from the windows (марсианские воины хлынули на него толпой из окон; to swarm — толпиться), and with their great spears eased the shock of the collision (и своими огромными копьями смягчили /силу/ удара от столкновения; to ease — облегчать; смягчить; shock — удар, толчок), and in a few moments they had thrown out grappling hooks (и через несколько мгновений они набросили абордажные крюки; to grapple — зацепить, схватить; hook — крюк) and the big boat was being hauled to ground by their fellows below (и большой корабль был подтянут к земле их товарищами, /стоявшими/ внизу; to haul — тянуть, тащить).

swarm [swO: m], grappling ['grxplIN], haul [hO: l]

As the craft neared the building, and just before she struck, the Martian warriors swarmed upon her from the windows, and with their great spears eased the shock of the collision, and in a few moments they had thrown out grappling hooks and the big boat was being hauled to ground by their fellows below.