about half past eight
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 .