Some thought it must be Tumbled into the Sea; Some thought it had gone off to High Germanie For Germans, as shown By their writings, 'tis known Are always delighted with what is high-flown. VII. Some hinted a bilk, And that maidens who milk, In far distant Shires would be walking in silk: Some swore that it must, "As they said at the _fust_, Have gone again' flashes of lightning and _bust_!" VIII. However, at last, When six weeks had gone past, Intelligence came of a plausible cast; A wondering clown, At a hamlet near town, Had seen "like a moon of green cheese" coming down. IX. Soon spread the alarm, And from cottage and farm, The natives buzz'd out like the bees when they swarm; And off ran the folk,-- It is such a good joke To see the descent of a bagful of smoke. X. And lo! the machine, Dappled yellow and green, Was plainly enough in the clouds to be seen: "Yes, yes," was the cry, "It's the old one, sure_ly_, Where _can_ it have been such a time in the sky?" XI. "Lord! where will it fall? It can't find out Vauxhall, Without any pilot to guide it at all!" Some wager'd that Kent Would behold the event, Debrett had been posed to _predict_ its descent. XII. Some thought it would pitch In the old Tower Ditch, Some swore on the Cross of St. Paul's it would hitch; And Farmers cried "Zounds! If it drops on our grounds, We'll try if Balloons can't be put into pounds." XIII. But still to and fro It continued to go, As if looking out for soft places below; No difficult job, It had only to bob Slap-dash down at once on the heads of the mob: XIV. Who, too apt to stare At some castle in air, Forget that the earth is their proper affair; Till, watching the fall Of some soap-bubble ball, They tumble themselves with a terrible sprawl. XV. Meanwhile, from its height Stooping downward in flight, The Phenomenon came more distinctly in sight: Still bigger and bigger, And strike me a nigger Unfreed, if there was not a live human figure! XVI. Yes, plain to be seen, Underneath the machine, There dangled a mortal--some swore it was Green; Some mason could spy; Others named Mr. Gye; Or Holland, compell'd by the Belgians to fly. XVII. 'Twas Graham the flighty, Whom the Duke high and mighty Resign'd to take care of his own lignum-vitae; 'Twas Hampton, whose whim Was in Cloudland to swim, Till e'en Little Hampton looked little to him! XVIII. But all were at fault; From the heavenly vault The falling balloon came at last to a halt; And bounce! with the jar Of descending so far, An outlandish Creature was thrown from the car! XIX.