But the words produced a terrifying effect on the rest of our companions, who, without waiting to ascertain the number of our enemies or how far off they were, took to their heels, and scampered away, leaving their hats, coats, and shoes behind them, many even forgetting their rifles. (In the Wilds of Florida by W.H.G. Kingston）
動画の後半部分でリスニング用音声が流れます。
英文を前から読んでいくために、語句のかたまりを作ります。こんな具合に課題文をスラッシュ（斜め線）で区切ります（スラッシュリーディング）。語句のかたまりを意識すると、リスニングで英語の意味をつかむのが楽になります。
But the words produced a terrifying effect／（前置詞の前）on the rest of our companions,／（関係代名詞の前）who, without waiting to ascertain the number of our enemies／（接続詞の前）or how far off they were,／（コンマの後）took to their heels, and scampered away,／（動詞のing形の前）leaving their hats, coats, and shoes behind them,／（コンマの後）many even forgetting their rifles.
語句のかたまりを前から訳していきます。
But the words produced a terrifying effect
しかし、その言葉は恐ろしい影響をもたらした
on the rest of our companions,
残りの仲間たちに
who, without waiting to ascertain the number of our enemies
彼らは敵の数を確かめもせずに
or how far off they were,
あるいは敵との距離を
took to their heels, and scampered away,
一目散に逃げ出し、駆け去った
leaving their hats, coats, and shoes behind them,
帽子や上着、靴を置いたまま
many even forgetting their rifles.
多くの者はライフルさえ忘れていった
But the words produced a terrifying effect on the rest of our companions, who, without waiting to ascertain the number of our enemies or how far off they were, took to their heels, and scampered away, leaving their hats, coats, and shoes behind them, many even forgetting their rifles.
took to their heels→ take to one’s heels = 一目散に逃げる
many even forgetting their rifles→ 主語を現在分詞の前に明示する独立分詞構文。forget の主語は many です。
しかし、その言葉は残りの仲間たちに恐ろしい影響をもたらした。彼らは敵の数や敵との距離を確かめもせずに一目散に逃げ出し、帽子や上着、靴を置いたまま駆け去った。多くの者はライフルさえ忘れていった。
今回の課題文は語句の連なりの境目に接続詞がありません。代わりに、関係代名詞（非制限用法）と分詞構文が使われています。
語句の連なりをカッコでくくると→ （But the words produced a terrifying effect on the rest of our companions,）（who, without waiting to ascertain the number of our enemies or how far off they were, took to their heels, and scampered away,）（leaving their hats, coats, and shoes behind them,）（many even forgetting their rifles）.
文章の中心（骨格）は But the words produced a terrifying effect on the rest of our companions で、その後ろに３つの語句の連なりがあり、関係代名詞と分詞構文が用いられています。「前から読み」を行うときは、前から順に語句の連なりごとに意味をとっていきましょう。
