老师你好：
The machine was used in a cave near the seashore where -it is said- pirates used to hide gold.
此句中翻译为：这个机器被用于挨近海岸的一个山洞里，据了解海盗以前常常在这里藏金字。
那样 where 引导的定语从句挨着 seashore 而不是紧挨着 cave，为何定语从句修饰的是cave 而不是 shore 呢？盼复，谢谢！
语法没规定：定语从句需要紧靠先行词。有时，先行词之后还有一个词汇修饰，这个时候，定语从句与先行词就被分隔。又如：
The travellers set up a camp near the river where they could sleep. 旅游者在河边打造了一个营地，在那里他们可以睡觉。
除此之外，修饰关系也可从语义上判断：海盗藏匿金子是在海边还是山洞？上句，睡觉的地方是在河边还是宿营地？答案不言自明。
再举几个定语从句被介词短语分隔的例子：
It was an exciting moment for these football fans this year, when for the first time in years their team won the World Cup.
The film brought the hours back to me when I was taken good care of in that far-away village.
After graduation she reached a point in her career where she had to decide what to do.
