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

the first place and got no rice from them in return. If they did not do so, they were sure to
suffer in consequence and get beating from them into the bargain. Mirza Khan was the
worst offender among them. He regarded himself as the right-hand man of Mr. Barrie.
Nay, he was
"Chota Barrie".
Throughout the Silver Jail, Mirza Khan strutted out as miniature Mr. Barrie. He
made a sign, he had only to wink at a warder to get for him ten or twelve chapatis a day
from the prisoners' dole for the day. He would walk along the line of the prisoners, when
the meal was being served to them, with his eye on him who collected his ration of bread
from the prisoners. If a Hindu prisoner were to show the impudence to refuse, he would
at once turn round upon him and find fault with him, there and then, for some mistake or
another. He was not sitting in a line, he was looking insolently at the Jamadar; so on and
so forth was the expression of his grudge against him-And, shouting at him, he gave him
two sharp raps on the back with his big stick.
Every week a prisoner used to get half-a-coconut full of curds. This was a gala
day for the petty officers and the jamadars. For they filled their pots with the curds and
drank it off on the spot. Hardly a particle of it was allowed to be served to the prisoners
before them. They seldom touched a drop of it. Once a Hindu prisoner, instead of parting
it to the warder, poured it straight upon the rice. When the news was conveyed to the
Jamadar, he straight-away rushed into the line where Hindu prisoners were dining, picked
up the empty coconut-shell and pointing it out to him said, "0 you scoundrel, why did you
have this leaking shell?" It was an offence to use such a shell in the prison-ethics of the
Andamans. The Baluchi Jamadar instantly caught hold of his tuft of hair, and kept on
kicking him all the time. The hair had almost been wrenched when he exclaimed, "Kafir,
kafir with the tuft of hair", and abused him into the bargain. The prisoner raised a hue and
cry and Mirza Khan came on the scene. He noticed that the quarrel was between one of
his own and the Hindu prisoner opposite to him. He carried him to the jailor to frame a
charge against him. I was watching it all from my own place. I beckoned to the prisoner
to call me in as a witness. And I was sent for. I put before the trying Officers the facts of
the case as I had seen them. Mirza Khan, thereupon, began to shout at me. He said, "Sir,
this Bada Babu is ever found to complain against Mussulman warders and he tells lies
against them." I told the jailor, "Granted that I always give false evidence, I shall add one
more to it now. Go and search instantly the shed in which the Baluchi Officer has hidden
his pot of stolen curds. Come along and I will show it to you myself." The jailor was
obliged to accompany me. He got up and followed me to the shed and he found the pot
well-concealed behind a heap of coconut shells. I further deposed that the Baluchi
Jamadar had pulled the prisoner's tuft of hair, had called him kafir, and had kicked him
recklessly and for no misdemeanour whatever. On hearing this, the Superintendent
became red with anger, called the Jamadar in front of him, and, in order to teach a severe
lesson to the rest of them, pulled off his belt and dismissed him from the job. He was
reduced to the status of an ordinary prisoner and sent back to hard labour along with