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

that day and do our daily work on an empty stomach. But more than that we would be
violating the prison-regulation that
whatever is put in the plate shall be eaten
It shall not be thrown out. Some of them may be given insufficient food, and
some more than enough; but all must consume whatever was placed before them. Weak
or strong, every one must have his ration to keep him going. But the rule is not generally
observed in all its strictness. But when it is sought to be enforced literally, the prisoner
has to suffer from it. I have seen instances of warders forcing the prisoners to pick up the
food they had thrown into the dust-bin because they had enough of it, and make them eat
it. I have already told you how we were compelled to gulp down the kerosene-mixed
conjee. If some prisoners had thrown it off, we could have easily proved that it did
contain kerosene. Speaking for myself, I did throw it, and Mr., Barrie threatened me with
punishment for that act of disobedience. It was my good fortune that the matter did not go
beyond that threat. He pretended to forget it all, and I was relieved in mind about it.
The political prisoners carried these complaints straight to the Superintendent. As
a rule, the Superintendent laughed them out and did not entertain them. But, sometime,
when he was in good mood, he did not fail to castigate those who were the cause of these
complaints. Of course, he did not do it openly, though Mr. Barrie was often hard put to it
to get over these complaints. He often resorted to the practice of advising us through the
months of traitors in our camp. At his instigation, they would say to us
it is only the selfish men who quarrel over food
To them our answer was that we would eat the worst kind of food, and even starve for
days together if thereby we could secure better food for hundreds of our companions in
this jail. If we were bent upon mere livelihood, we were not beggars at home, earning one
shilling a day in the streets of Ireland, to come in this jail for mere subsistence. This
remark had a reference to Mr. Barrie's condition before he came to the Andamans as
jailor of the Silver Jail. He was reduced to beggary in Ireland, his native country;
scraping together some money, he had made his way to India and had come into his own
as a white-skinned man. He had proved both bold and unscrupulous, and, hence, had got
the job he was holding then. After this episode all the political prisoners kept these
confidants of Mr. Barrie severely at arm's length and even openly denounced them. The
rest of the prisoners asked them point-blank, if they themselves had not confessed that the
conjee had kerosene oil in it. These gentlemen shamelessly replied that it was a mean act
to protest in matters of food as it proved utter selfishness of those who complained
against it. These fellows had no scruples of conscience to watch for an hour together to
steal a piece of dry coconut and their action was, of course, most honest and most
unselfish!