Reading Help War of the worlds by H. G. Wells. Book 1
`
` On Wednesday the three fugitives--they had passed the night in a `
` field of unripe wheat--reached Chelmsford, and there a body of the `
` inhabitants, calling itself the Committee of Public Supply, seized the `
` pony as provisions, and would give nothing in exchange for it but the `
` promise of a share in it the next day. Here there were rumours of `
` Martians at Epping, and news of the destruction of Waltham Abbey `
` Powder Mills in a vain attempt to blow up one of the invaders. `
` `
` People were watching for Martians here from the church towers. My `
` brother, very luckily for him as it chanced, preferred to push on at `
` once to the coast rather than wait for food, although all three of `
` them were very hungry. By midday they passed through Tillingham, `
` which, strangely enough, seemed to be quite silent and deserted, save `
` for a few furtive plunderers hunting for food. Near Tillingham they `
` suddenly came in sight of the sea, and the most amazing crowd of `
` shipping of all sorts that it is possible to imagine. `
` `
` For after the sailors could no longer come up the Thames, they came `
` on to the Essex coast, to Harwich and Walton and Clacton, and `
` afterwards to Foulness and Shoebury, to bring off the people. They `
` lay in a huge sickle-shaped curve that vanished into mist at last `
` towards the Naze. Close inshore was a multitude of fishing `
` smacks--English, Scotch, French, Dutch, and Swedish; steam launches `
` from the Thames, yachts, electric boats; and beyond were ships of large `
` burden, a multitude of filthy colliers, trim merchantmen, cattle ships, `
` passenger boats, petroleum tanks, ocean tramps, an old white transport `
` even, neat white and grey liners from Southampton and Hamburg; and `
` along the blue coast across the Blackwater my brother could make out `
` dimly a dense swarm of boats chaffering with the people on the beach, `
` a swarm which also extended up the Blackwater almost to Maldon. `
` `
` About a couple of miles out lay an ironclad, very low in the water, `
` almost, to my brother's perception, like a water-logged ship. This `
` was the ram _Thunder Child_. It was the only warship in sight, but far `
` away to the right over the smooth surface of the sea--for that day `
` there was a dead calm--lay a serpent of black smoke to mark the next `
` ironclads of the Channel Fleet, which hovered in an extended line, `
` steam up and ready for action, across the Thames estuary during the `
` course of the Martian conquest, vigilant and yet powerless to prevent `
` it. `
` `
` At the sight of the sea, Mrs. Elphinstone, in spite of the `
` assurances of her sister-in-law, gave way to panic. She had never `
` been out of England before, she would rather die than trust herself `
` friendless in a foreign country, and so forth. She seemed, poor woman, `
` to imagine that the French and the Martians might prove very similar. `
` She had been growing increasingly hysterical, fearful, and depressed `
` during the two days' journeyings. Her great idea was to return to `
` Stanmore. Things had been always well and safe at Stanmore. They `
` would find George at Stanmore. `
` `
` It was with the greatest difficulty they could get her down to the `
` beach, where presently my brother succeeded in attracting the `
` attention of some men on a paddle steamer from the Thames. They sent `
` a boat and drove a bargain for thirty-six pounds for the three. The `
` steamer was going, these men said, to Ostend. `
` `
` It was about two o'clock when my brother, having paid their fares `
` at the gangway, found himself safely aboard the steamboat with his `
` charges. There was food aboard, albeit at exorbitant prices, and the `
` three of them contrived to eat a meal on one of the seats forward. `
` `
` There were already a couple of score of passengers aboard, some of `
` whom had expended their last money in securing a passage, but the `
` captain lay off the Blackwater until five in the afternoon, picking up `
` passengers until the seated decks were even dangerously crowded. He `
` would probably have remained longer had it not been for the sound of `
` guns that began about that hour in the south. As if in answer, the `
` ironclad seaward fired a small gun and hoisted a string of flags. A `
` jet of smoke sprang out of her funnels. `
` `
` Some of the passengers were of opinion that this firing came from `
` Shoeburyness, until it was noticed that it was growing louder. At the `
` same time, far away in the southeast the masts and upperworks of three `
` ironclads rose one after the other out of the sea, beneath clouds of `
` black smoke. But my brother's attention speedily reverted to the `
` distant firing in the south. He fancied he saw a column of smoke `
` rising out of the distant grey haze. `
` `
` The little steamer was already flapping her way eastward of the big `
` crescent of shipping, and the low Essex coast was growing blue and `
` hazy, when a Martian appeared, small and faint in the remote distance, `
` advancing along the muddy coast from the direction of Foulness. At `
` that the captain on the bridge swore at the top of his voice with fear `
` and anger at his own delay, and the paddles seemed infected with his `
` terror. Every soul aboard stood at the bulwarks or on the seats of `
` the steamer and stared at that distant shape, higher than the trees or `
` church towers inland, and advancing with a leisurely parody of a human `
` stride. `
` `
` It was the first Martian my brother had seen, and he stood, more `
` amazed than terrified, watching this Titan advancing deliberately `
` towards the shipping, wading farther and farther into the water as the `
` coast fell away. Then, far away beyond the Crouch, came another, `
` striding over some stunted trees, and then yet another, still farther `
` off, wading deeply through a shiny mudflat that seemed to hang halfway `
` up between sea and sky. They were all stalking seaward, as if to `
` intercept the escape of the multitudinous vessels that were crowded `
` between Foulness and the Naze. In spite of the throbbing exertions of `
` the engines of the little paddle-boat, and the pouring foam that her `
` wheels flung behind her, she receded with terrifying slowness from `
` this ominous advance. `
` `
` Glancing northwestward, my brother saw the large crescent of `
` shipping already writhing with the approaching terror; one ship `
` passing behind another, another coming round from broadside to end on, `
` steamships whistling and giving off volumes of steam, sails being let `
` out, launches rushing hither and thither. He was so fascinated by `
` this and by the creeping danger away to the left that he had no eyes `
` for anything seaward. And then a swift movement of the steamboat (she `
` had suddenly come round to avoid being run down) flung him headlong `
` from the seat upon which he was standing. There was a shouting all `
` about him, a trampling of feet, and a cheer that seemed to be answered `
` faintly. The steamboat lurched and rolled him over upon his hands. `
` `
` He sprang to his feet and saw to starboard, and not a hundred yards `
` from their heeling, pitching boat, a vast iron bulk like the blade of `
` a plough tearing through the water, tossing it on either side in huge `
` waves of foam that leaped towards the steamer, flinging her paddles `
` helplessly in the air, and then sucking her deck down almost to the `
` waterline. `
` `
` A douche of spray blinded my brother for a moment. When his eyes `
` were clear again he saw the monster had passed and was rushing `
` landward. Big iron upperworks rose out of this headlong structure, `
` and from that twin funnels projected and spat a smoking blast shot `
` with fire. It was the torpedo ram, _Thunder Child_, steaming headlong, `
` coming to the rescue of the threatened shipping. `
` `
` Keeping his footing on the heaving deck by clutching the bulwarks, `
` my brother looked past this charging leviathan at the Martians again, `
` and he saw the three of them now close together, and standing so far `
` out to sea that their tripod supports were almost entirely submerged. `
` Thus sunken, and seen in remote perspective, they appeared far less `
` formidable than the huge iron bulk in whose wake the steamer was `
` pitching so helplessly. It would seem they were regarding this new `
` antagonist with astonishment. To their intelligence, it may be, the `
` giant was even such another as themselves. The _Thunder Child_ fired no `
` gun, but simply drove full speed towards them. It was probably her `
` not firing that enabled her to get so near the enemy as she did. They `
` did not know what to make of her. One shell, and they would have sent `
` her to the bottom forthwith with the Heat-Ray. `
` `
` She was steaming at such a pace that in a minute she seemed halfway `
` between the steamboat and the Martians--a diminishing black bulk `
` against the receding horizontal expanse of the Essex coast. `
` `
` Suddenly the foremost Martian lowered his tube and discharged a `
` canister of the black gas at the ironclad. It hit her larboard side `
` and glanced off in an inky jet that rolled away to seaward, an `
` unfolding torrent of Black Smoke, from which the ironclad drove clear. `
` To the watchers from the steamer, low in the water and with the sun in `
` their eyes, it seemed as though she were already among the Martians. `
` `
` They saw the gaunt figures separating and rising out of the water `
` as they retreated shoreward, and one of them raised the camera-like `
` generator of the Heat-Ray. He held it pointing obliquely downward, `
` and a bank of steam sprang from the water at its touch. It must have `
` driven through the iron of the ship's side like a white-hot iron rod `
` through paper. `
` `
` A flicker of flame went up through the rising steam, and then the `
` Martian reeled and staggered. In another moment he was cut down, and `
` a great body of water and steam shot high in the air. The guns of the `
` _Thunder Child_ sounded through the reek, going off one after the other, `
` and one shot splashed the water high close by the steamer, ricocheted `
` towards the other flying ships to the north, and smashed a smack to `
` matchwood. `
` `
` But no one heeded that very much. At the sight of the Martian's `
` collapse the captain on the bridge yelled inarticulately, and all the `
` crowding passengers on the steamer's stern shouted together. And then `
` they yelled again. For, surging out beyond the white tumult, drove `
` something long and black, the flames streaming from its middle parts, `
` its ventilators and funnels spouting fire. `
` `
` She was alive still; the steering gear, it seems, was intact and `
` her engines working. She headed straight for a second Martian, and `
` was within a hundred yards of him when the Heat-Ray came to bear. Then `
` with a violent thud, a blinding flash, her decks, her funnels, leaped `
` upward. The Martian staggered with the violence of her explosion, and `
` in another moment the flaming wreckage, still driving forward with the `
` impetus of its pace, had struck him and crumpled him up like a thing `
` of cardboard. My brother shouted involuntarily. A boiling tumult of `
` steam hid everything again. `
` `
` "Two!" yelled the captain. `
` `
` Everyone was shouting. The whole steamer from end to end rang with `
` frantic cheering that was taken up first by one and then by all in the `
` crowding multitude of ships and boats that was driving out to sea. `
` `
` The steam hung upon the water for many minutes, hiding the third `
` Martian and the coast altogether. And all this time the boat was `
` paddling steadily out to sea and away from the fight; and when at last `
` the confusion cleared, the drifting bank of black vapour intervened, `
` and nothing of the _Thunder Child_ could be made out, nor could the `
` third Martian be seen. But the ironclads to seaward were now quite `
` close and standing in towards shore past the steamboat. `
` `
`
` On Wednesday the three fugitives--they had passed the night in a `
` field of unripe wheat--reached Chelmsford, and there a body of the `
` inhabitants, calling itself the Committee of Public Supply, seized the `
` pony as provisions, and would give nothing in exchange for it but the `
` promise of a share in it the next day. Here there were rumours of `
` Martians at Epping, and news of the destruction of Waltham Abbey `
` Powder Mills in a vain attempt to blow up one of the invaders. `
` `
` People were watching for Martians here from the church towers. My `
` brother, very luckily for him as it chanced, preferred to push on at `
` once to the coast rather than wait for food, although all three of `
` them were very hungry. By midday they passed through Tillingham, `
` which, strangely enough, seemed to be quite silent and deserted, save `
` for a few furtive plunderers hunting for food. Near Tillingham they `
` suddenly came in sight of the sea, and the most amazing crowd of `
` shipping of all sorts that it is possible to imagine. `
` `
` For after the sailors could no longer come up the Thames, they came `
` on to the Essex coast, to Harwich and Walton and Clacton, and `
` afterwards to Foulness and Shoebury, to bring off the people. They `
` lay in a huge sickle-shaped curve that vanished into mist at last `
` towards the Naze. Close inshore was a multitude of fishing `
` smacks--English, Scotch, French, Dutch, and Swedish; steam launches `
` from the Thames, yachts, electric boats; and beyond were ships of large `
` burden, a multitude of filthy colliers, trim merchantmen, cattle ships, `
` passenger boats, petroleum tanks, ocean tramps, an old white transport `
` even, neat white and grey liners from Southampton and Hamburg; and `
` along the blue coast across the Blackwater my brother could make out `
` dimly a dense swarm of boats chaffering with the people on the beach, `
` a swarm which also extended up the Blackwater almost to Maldon. `
` `
` About a couple of miles out lay an ironclad, very low in the water, `
` almost, to my brother's perception, like a water-logged ship. This `
` was the ram _Thunder Child_. It was the only warship in sight, but far `
` away to the right over the smooth surface of the sea--for that day `
` there was a dead calm--lay a serpent of black smoke to mark the next `
` ironclads of the Channel Fleet, which hovered in an extended line, `
` steam up and ready for action, across the Thames estuary during the `
` course of the Martian conquest, vigilant and yet powerless to prevent `
` it. `
` `
` At the sight of the sea, Mrs. Elphinstone, in spite of the `
` assurances of her sister-in-law, gave way to panic. She had never `
` been out of England before, she would rather die than trust herself `
` friendless in a foreign country, and so forth. She seemed, poor woman, `
` to imagine that the French and the Martians might prove very similar. `
` She had been growing increasingly hysterical, fearful, and depressed `
` during the two days' journeyings. Her great idea was to return to `
` Stanmore. Things had been always well and safe at Stanmore. They `
` would find George at Stanmore. `
` `
` It was with the greatest difficulty they could get her down to the `
` beach, where presently my brother succeeded in attracting the `
` attention of some men on a paddle steamer from the Thames. They sent `
` a boat and drove a bargain for thirty-six pounds for the three. The `
` steamer was going, these men said, to Ostend. `
` `
` It was about two o'clock when my brother, having paid their fares `
` at the gangway, found himself safely aboard the steamboat with his `
` charges. There was food aboard, albeit at exorbitant prices, and the `
` three of them contrived to eat a meal on one of the seats forward. `
` `
` There were already a couple of score of passengers aboard, some of `
` whom had expended their last money in securing a passage, but the `
` captain lay off the Blackwater until five in the afternoon, picking up `
` passengers until the seated decks were even dangerously crowded. He `
` would probably have remained longer had it not been for the sound of `
` guns that began about that hour in the south. As if in answer, the `
` ironclad seaward fired a small gun and hoisted a string of flags. A `
` jet of smoke sprang out of her funnels. `
` `
` Some of the passengers were of opinion that this firing came from `
` Shoeburyness, until it was noticed that it was growing louder. At the `
` same time, far away in the southeast the masts and upperworks of three `
` ironclads rose one after the other out of the sea, beneath clouds of `
` black smoke. But my brother's attention speedily reverted to the `
` distant firing in the south. He fancied he saw a column of smoke `
` rising out of the distant grey haze. `
` `
` The little steamer was already flapping her way eastward of the big `
` crescent of shipping, and the low Essex coast was growing blue and `
` hazy, when a Martian appeared, small and faint in the remote distance, `
` advancing along the muddy coast from the direction of Foulness. At `
` that the captain on the bridge swore at the top of his voice with fear `
` and anger at his own delay, and the paddles seemed infected with his `
` terror. Every soul aboard stood at the bulwarks or on the seats of `
` the steamer and stared at that distant shape, higher than the trees or `
` church towers inland, and advancing with a leisurely parody of a human `
` stride. `
` `
` It was the first Martian my brother had seen, and he stood, more `
` amazed than terrified, watching this Titan advancing deliberately `
` towards the shipping, wading farther and farther into the water as the `
` coast fell away. Then, far away beyond the Crouch, came another, `
` striding over some stunted trees, and then yet another, still farther `
` off, wading deeply through a shiny mudflat that seemed to hang halfway `
` up between sea and sky. They were all stalking seaward, as if to `
` intercept the escape of the multitudinous vessels that were crowded `
` between Foulness and the Naze. In spite of the throbbing exertions of `
` the engines of the little paddle-boat, and the pouring foam that her `
` wheels flung behind her, she receded with terrifying slowness from `
` this ominous advance. `
` `
` Glancing northwestward, my brother saw the large crescent of `
` shipping already writhing with the approaching terror; one ship `
` passing behind another, another coming round from broadside to end on, `
` steamships whistling and giving off volumes of steam, sails being let `
` out, launches rushing hither and thither. He was so fascinated by `
` this and by the creeping danger away to the left that he had no eyes `
` for anything seaward. And then a swift movement of the steamboat (she `
` had suddenly come round to avoid being run down) flung him headlong `
` from the seat upon which he was standing. There was a shouting all `
` about him, a trampling of feet, and a cheer that seemed to be answered `
` faintly. The steamboat lurched and rolled him over upon his hands. `
` `
` He sprang to his feet and saw to starboard, and not a hundred yards `
` from their heeling, pitching boat, a vast iron bulk like the blade of `
` a plough tearing through the water, tossing it on either side in huge `
` waves of foam that leaped towards the steamer, flinging her paddles `
` helplessly in the air, and then sucking her deck down almost to the `
` waterline. `
` `
` A douche of spray blinded my brother for a moment. When his eyes `
` were clear again he saw the monster had passed and was rushing `
` landward. Big iron upperworks rose out of this headlong structure, `
` and from that twin funnels projected and spat a smoking blast shot `
` with fire. It was the torpedo ram, _Thunder Child_, steaming headlong, `
` coming to the rescue of the threatened shipping. `
` `
` Keeping his footing on the heaving deck by clutching the bulwarks, `
` my brother looked past this charging leviathan at the Martians again, `
` and he saw the three of them now close together, and standing so far `
` out to sea that their tripod supports were almost entirely submerged. `
` Thus sunken, and seen in remote perspective, they appeared far less `
` formidable than the huge iron bulk in whose wake the steamer was `
` pitching so helplessly. It would seem they were regarding this new `
` antagonist with astonishment. To their intelligence, it may be, the `
` giant was even such another as themselves. The _Thunder Child_ fired no `
` gun, but simply drove full speed towards them. It was probably her `
` not firing that enabled her to get so near the enemy as she did. They `
` did not know what to make of her. One shell, and they would have sent `
` her to the bottom forthwith with the Heat-Ray. `
` `
` She was steaming at such a pace that in a minute she seemed halfway `
` between the steamboat and the Martians--a diminishing black bulk `
` against the receding horizontal expanse of the Essex coast. `
` `
` Suddenly the foremost Martian lowered his tube and discharged a `
` canister of the black gas at the ironclad. It hit her larboard side `
` and glanced off in an inky jet that rolled away to seaward, an `
` unfolding torrent of Black Smoke, from which the ironclad drove clear. `
` To the watchers from the steamer, low in the water and with the sun in `
` their eyes, it seemed as though she were already among the Martians. `
` `
` They saw the gaunt figures separating and rising out of the water `
` as they retreated shoreward, and one of them raised the camera-like `
` generator of the Heat-Ray. He held it pointing obliquely downward, `
` and a bank of steam sprang from the water at its touch. It must have `
` driven through the iron of the ship's side like a white-hot iron rod `
` through paper. `
` `
` A flicker of flame went up through the rising steam, and then the `
` Martian reeled and staggered. In another moment he was cut down, and `
` a great body of water and steam shot high in the air. The guns of the `
` _Thunder Child_ sounded through the reek, going off one after the other, `
` and one shot splashed the water high close by the steamer, ricocheted `
` towards the other flying ships to the north, and smashed a smack to `
` matchwood. `
` `
` But no one heeded that very much. At the sight of the Martian's `
` collapse the captain on the bridge yelled inarticulately, and all the `
` crowding passengers on the steamer's stern shouted together. And then `
` they yelled again. For, surging out beyond the white tumult, drove `
` something long and black, the flames streaming from its middle parts, `
` its ventilators and funnels spouting fire. `
` `
` She was alive still; the steering gear, it seems, was intact and `
` her engines working. She headed straight for a second Martian, and `
` was within a hundred yards of him when the Heat-Ray came to bear. Then `
` with a violent thud, a blinding flash, her decks, her funnels, leaped `
` upward. The Martian staggered with the violence of her explosion, and `
` in another moment the flaming wreckage, still driving forward with the `
` impetus of its pace, had struck him and crumpled him up like a thing `
` of cardboard. My brother shouted involuntarily. A boiling tumult of `
` steam hid everything again. `
` `
` "Two!" yelled the captain. `
` `
` Everyone was shouting. The whole steamer from end to end rang with `
` frantic cheering that was taken up first by one and then by all in the `
` crowding multitude of ships and boats that was driving out to sea. `
` `
` The steam hung upon the water for many minutes, hiding the third `
` Martian and the coast altogether. And all this time the boat was `
` paddling steadily out to sea and away from the fight; and when at last `
` the confusion cleared, the drifting bank of black vapour intervened, `
` and nothing of the _Thunder Child_ could be made out, nor could the `
` third Martian be seen. But the ironclads to seaward were now quite `
` close and standing in towards shore past the steamboat. `
` `
`