drift. We went through Bushey Park, with its deer going to and fro

under the chestnuts, and some men and women hurrying in the distance

towards Hampton, and so we came to Twickenham. These were the first

people we saw.

Away across the road the woods beyond Ham and Petersham were still

afire. Twickenham was uninjured by either Heat-Ray or Black Smoke,

and there were more people about here, though none could give us news.

For the most part they were like ourselves, taking advantage of a lull

to shift their quarters. I have an impression that many of the houses

here were still occupied by scared inhabitants, too frightened even

for flight. Here too the evidence of a hasty rout was abundant along

the road. I remember most vividly three smashed bicycles in a heap,

pounded into the road by the wheels of subsequent carts. We crossed

Richmond Bridge about half past eight. We hurried across the exposed

bridge, of course, but I noticed floating down the stream a number

of red masses, some many feet across. I did not know what these

were--there was no time for scrutiny--and I put a more horrible

interpretation on them than they deserved. Here again on the Surrey

side were black dust that had once been smoke, and dead bodies--a heap

near the approach to the station; but we had no glimpse of the

Martians until we were some way towards Barnes.

We saw in the blackened distance a group of three people running

down a side street towards the river, but otherwise it seemed

deserted. Up the hill Richmond town was burning briskly; outside the

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The War of the Worlds