द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

IN BURMESE PRISONS 155
different jails in Burma also afforded a valuable subject-
matter for study. It is neither possible nor necessary to give
here some of the results of my study and observation, but I
shall content myself with making one observation. It is
generally thought that those who are convicted for murder,
are the worst specimens of humanity and are past redemption.
On the contrary, my experience is that among the prisoners,
murderers are generally a better type. This is so at least in
those cases in which murder has been committed in a fit of
temper or temporary insanity. Professional thieves and pick-
pockets, on the other hand, represent the worst type. In the
condemned cells (where prisoners are locked before they are
hanged) I would see from time to time fine specimens of
humanity, sometimes boys in their 'teens, who were going to
be hanged simply because they had lost their self-control for
a moment and killed someone in a fit of temper. The ease
with which the High Court in Burma would confirm death
sentences appeared amazing to me. The conduct of the
High Court was all the more monstrous in view of the fact
that in Burma people had for centuries been accustomed to
take the law into their own hands and Upper Burma and
Mandalay had come under British rule as late as 1885.
From time to time we would receive visits from many
interesting people including officials. From the Home
Member down to the petty magistrate no one would ignore
us, since Indian state prisoners were to them interesting
specimens of humanity. Among the visitors was Mr. Patter-
son, a Prison Commissioner from England, who greeted us
as 'eight of the most dangerous men in India.' A regular
visitor was Mr. Brown, the Deputy-Commissioner (i.e.,
'District Officer) of Mandalay. Whatever may have been his
attitude towards the people of Mandalay, with the state
prisoners his dealings were those of a straightforward
gentleman. He was a cultured man and we enjoyed our
discussions with him. He was, moreover, helpful to us in
supplying literature and in mediating, whenever we fell out
with the prison officials. Our relations with the prison
officials suddenly became strained, when Captain Smith
went on leave. He was succeeded by Major Findlay. While