кубертой было решено), was derelict (она была брошена), but too full of ants to put men aboard to sit and sleep (но она было слишком заполнена муравьями, чтобы посадить людей на борт, чтобы = и они там сидели и спали): it must be towed (ее нужно отбуксировать). The lieutenant went forward to take in and adjust the cable (лейтенант прошел вперед принять и приладить канат; cable — канат, трос; кабель; якорная цепь), and the men in the boat stood up to be ready to help him (а матросы в лодке встали, чтобы быть наготове /и/ помочь ему). Holroyd’s glasses searched the canoe (бинокль Холройда обшарил каноэ).

urface ['sWfIs], beneath [bI'nJT], tow [tqu]
He reverted to the field-glass, and was surprised to find the ants had vanished from all the exposed surfaces of the deck. He turned towards the shadows beneath the decking, and it seemed to him they were full of watching eyes.
The cuberta, it was agreed, was derelict, but too full of ants to put men aboard to sit and sleep: it must be towed. The lieutenant went forward to take in and adjust the cable, and the men in the boat stood up to be ready to help him. Holroyd’s glasses searched the canoe.
He became more and more impressed by the fact (его все более и более впечатлял факт = то) that a great if minute and furtive activity was going on (что огромная, хотя мелкая и скрытая деятельность продолжалась; furtive — затаенный, скрытый, тайный; незаметный). He perceived that a number of gigantic ants (он различил, что некоторое количество гигантских муравьев) — they seemed nearly a couple of inches in length (они казались почти пару дюймов в длину) — carrying oddly-shaped burthens for which he could imagine no use (несущих странной формы грузы, назначения которых он не мог понять: «вообразить») — were moving in rushes from one point of obscurity to another (двигались перебежками от одного пятна темноты к другому; rush — стремительное движение, бросок, напор, натиск, наплыв; стремительная атака). They did not move in columns across the exposed places (они двигались не колоннами через открытые места), but in open, spaced-out lines (а развернутыми шеренгами с промежутками; to space out — размещать/ся/ с промежутками /в пространстве/), oddly suggestive of the rushes of modern infantry advancing under fire (удивительно напоминая перебежки современной пехоты, наступающей под огнем; suggestive — суггестивный; вызывающий мысли). A number were taking cover under the dead man’s clothes (некоторое количество укрывалось под одеждой мертвеца; to take cover — укрыться), and a perfect swarm was gathering along the side over which da Cunha must presently go (и прямо-таки целая толпа: «совершенная толпа, совершенный рой» собиралась вдоль борта, через который должен /был/ перейти = перебраться через некоторое время да Кунья).
couple [kApl], length [leNT], column ['kOlqm]
He became more and more impressed by the fact that a great if minute and furtive activity was going on. He perceived that a number of gigantic ants — they seemed nearly a couple of inches in length — carrying oddly-shaped burthens for which he could imagine no use — were moving in rushes from one point of obscurity to another. They did not move in columns across the exposed places, but in open, spaced-out lines, oddly suggestive of the rushes of modern infantry advancing under fire. A number were taking cover under the dead man’s clothes, and a perfect swarm was gathering along the side over which da Cunha must presently go.
He did not see them actually rush for the lieutenant as he returned (как ни странно, он не увидел, как они устремились к лейтенанту, когда он возвращался), but he has no doubt they did make a concerted rush (но у него нет сомнений, что они сделали согласованный бросок). Suddenly the lieutenant was shouting and cursing