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

account as I could render of my experience in the Andamans, I could not narrate the
whole story at the time for reasons that were obvious. Such a cogent, clear and well
arranged narrative must bide its time. The reader must be content with what I can present
to him and with the way in which I shall present it. Whatever is imperfect, one-sided, or
inconsistent in the story, must be accepted with pardon, for it is production of time and
circumstance beyond my control. The reader must wait before he can have from me a
perfect piece of writing.
I am fully aware of the value of such writing for the public at large. But in these
reminiscences, I am not confining myself to the narration of events and incidents merely.
For I regard the reaction of these events more important than the events themselves. So I
have woven in this bare and imperfect record of events, my thoughts and feelings at the
particular time, which I have considered more interesting and enlightening.
But the recollections themselves are but piece-meal jottings, and the feeling and
thoughts evoked by them faint, imperfect and suggestive. I could not help otherwise, and,
therefore I would beseech the reader not to draw any final conclusions from the bare
record I give him. Though I have not been able to give the story in all its aspects and with
a fuller detail, I must ask the reader to believe me when I state that whatever I have
written I have written with particular care to present the whole truth and nothing but the
truth.
The thoughts, feelings and happenings recorded in this work are but expressions
of my reaction at a particular phase and time of my life in the prison of the Andamans. It
is a historical document and should not be confused as being anything more than pure
history. I expect the reader to peruse it in the spirit I have written it.
V. D. SAVARKAR.