On horsell common

           Ifoundalittlecrowdofperhapstwentypeoplesurroundingthehugeholeinwhichthecylinderlay. Ihavealreadydescribedtheappearanceofthatcolossalbulk,embeddedintheground. Theturfandgravelaboutitseemedcharredasifbyasuddenexplosion. Nodoubtitsimpacthadcausedaflashoffire. HendersonandOgilvywerenotthere. Ithinktheyperceivedthatnothingwastobedoneforthepresent,andhadgoneawaytobreakfastatHenderson’shouse. 

           TherewerefourorfiveboyssittingontheedgeofthePit,withtheirfeetdangling,andamusingthemselves—untilIstoppedthem—bythrowingstonesatthegiantmass. AfterIhadspokentothemaboutit,theybeganplayingat‘touch’inandoutofthegroupofbystanders. 

           Amongthesewereacoupleofcyclists,ajobbinggardenerIemployedsometimes,agirlcarryingababy,Greggthebutcherandhislittleboy,andtwoorthreeloafersandgolfcaddieswhowereaccustomedtohangabouttherailwaystation. Therewasverylittletalking. FewofthecommonpeopleinEnglandhadanythingbutthevaguestastronomicalideasinthosedays. Mostofthemwerestaringquietlyatthebigtablelikeendofthecylinder,whichwasstillasOgilvyandHendersonhadleftit. Ifancythepopularexpectationofaheapofcharredcorpseswasdisappointedatthisinanimatebulk. SomewentawaywhileIwasthere,andotherpeoplecame. IclamberedintothepitandfanciedIheardafaintmovementundermyfeet. Thetophadcertainlyceasedtorotate. 

           ItwasonlywhenIgotthusclosetoitthatthestrangenessofthisobjectwasatallevidenttome.