मेरा आजीवन कारावास / माझी जन्मठेप (स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकर - काले पानी का ऐतिहासिक संस्मरण)

CHAPTER XII
Consolidation and Propaganda in the Andamans
While I worked on the 'Kolu', I had an opportunity of knowing much, not only of
the condition of the political prisoners inside the jail, but also of the situation in the
Andamans as a whole. In spite of a thousand obstacles in their way, those who had learnt
to love and admire me put themselves into contact with me and gave me news about the
islands. I, therefore, felt that even from this, prison I could do some work of
consolidating our forces in the Andamans. Of course, it demanded strenuous efforts and I
was prepared for it.
The Work Begins
To rot here and suffer all kinds of hardship had become the part of our daily duty,
and we had to bear that burden all our life. May we not, then, take this additional burden
upon our shoulders which was an essential part of our service to the country? Why not
then acquire the double merit for which Providence had marked us out? We would suffer
gladly for her in this prison, and we would work strenuously for her outside. Inspired by
this feeling, I set out on that larger work by first educating those whom I considered to be
in my charge.
Education of Political Prisoners
Within a fortnight I put myself in contact with such of the political prisoners as
had come into our struggle by the force of driving whirlwind, as it were, and whose
convictions were yet shaky about the means we had employed. They did not entirely
favour our adoption of violent methods to reach the goal of independence. I explained to
them the whole position; and, while the jailor had put me under the yoke to tame me
down, I made these men take an oath to join us in the proposed work of consolidation.
This was the beginning of my work for the Andamans. How that work developed and
spread out, I cannot narrate in full in these pages. I will tell as much of it as I can during
the course of this story.
About a fortnight had passed when I was relieved of my work on the oil-mill. I
was put upon the work of weaving the strand. This was the easiest of all hard labour in
this jail and it was considered a piece of good luck to have it. After a few days' practice at
it, I found it easy to weave the strand, and I felt that the strain on my body and my mind
had considerably lessened. I had been taken back to my room on the top-floor of Barrack