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

than to get us free. Once or twice I felt that the event was imminent. For the Emden,
moving around, had almost hemmed us in. The wireless messages sent by the Chief
Commissioner to Calcutta for monetary help were duly intercepted released by the
Emden, and when the ship laden with money was on her way to the Andamans, the
submarine caught her and looted the treasure. The Andamans felt keenly the shortage of
food-stuffs once or twice; for the ships could not ply the water, for months together, from
Rangoon, Calcutta and Madras to this place. In this situation none could say definitely
how long we could hold out, and when we would be compelled to surrender to the
enemy. And then?
Not to be provided against this contingency would have been a reckless attitude of
mind. For, then, we would be missing an opportunity of a life-time. So we began thinking
out what we were to do if we were suddenly caught in this deluge, if the German
submarine bombarded the Andamans and captured it, and if, in consequence, the
prisoners of the Silver Jail were all forthwith let loose....
The plans of the submarine were clear to my mind as I knew the movements of
the Indian revolutionaries abroad. In that light I made the position clear to my political
colleagues as well as to other prisoners in my confidence. And I prepared a line of action
to meet such an emergency. I communicated it to all of them, that they might be ready for
the day and be not caught napping. "Do not believe like fools that the Britishers can be so
easily overthrown", I told them. But restricting ourselves to the Andamans, and in case
the Emden succeeds in capturing and turning it into a centre for a possible revolution in
India, we must be prepared to defend ourselves and do our duty to our country. We are
not to be misled by foolish hope or useless despair. Whatever we decide upon, we must
decide by wise and selfless attitude of mind. It was my effort, during these trying days of
doubt and hope to awaken in the prisoners the sense of caution, alertness and duty.
The publication of the Rowlatt Committee's Report, in subsequent years, had
made it evident that the Emden had such designs in approaching the shores of the
Andamans, and that my forecast was not altogether without foundation. The account of
revolutionary activities in India outside, given in that Report, and their connection with
Germany, makes it plain enough that, at least, during the first year of war, their plans
were definitely to capture the Andamans and release us. And I know that these were not
idle speculations but had nearly succeeded in the Emden's prowling activities about these
shores. The European officers on these islands, in their later reports, confirmed our fears
of such possible happenings.
I have already narrated in the early pages of this work, how, after the capture of
Emden, the Government was definitely in the know of these matters and how they set up
the defence of this prison as a military fortress. A turncoat among us had at once carried
to the ears of Mr. Barrie a report that negotiations were going on for the German
aeroplane to swoop down upon the prison and take Savarkar out and away from this