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

A Manuscript Daily in the Prison The strike in our prison was going on with full vigour. The men on strike were not given their normal ration of prison-food. There were big-bodied persons among them who had found the usual ration insufficient to feed their hunger. And their plight because of the penalty of reduced ration was worse than ever. To make up for this want of food, they feasted on heapfuls of cocoanut from the prison store-house supplied to them by helpful prisoners, warders, and petty officers on our side. They were given this nourishment in plate-fuls in their own rooms by our help-mates. Every two or three days we got a daily or a weekly newspaper to read in this prison supplied through our usual source. How it came to us is an interesting story. It entered the gate of our prison through a water pipe, or sown into a prisoner's waist-coat, or hidden beneath the plank or covering of a cart carrying the rubbish in and out of the prison; or it came openly in the pocket of a bold man willing to take the risk. And then it was conveniently smuggled into our block. We culled important news from the newspaper, we wrote it on a separate sheet of paper; and it became a circulating daily of our prison. Some one from his cell would hand over the sheet to the warder who read it with interest while on his round and in such light as he found on the way. So we got our daily news of the war even during the days of the strike when a stricter watch was kept on our movements and by British soldiers, for they distrusted black men at the time. These Tommies soon became friends with us and showed great sympathy towards us, and I cannot say that it was not some of them who gave us the news that we were so eager to have from the outside. These were transferred when detected in the act. But others who took their place acted towards us in the same kind manner. "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." Does it not? The postage that I had to pay In this hurry and bustle sometime the man who brought us the paper was caught in the act. And his face was pitiable to look at. We mediated for him with the petty officer, the jamadar and Mr. Barrie to save him from punishment. Many a time I must say it to the credit of Mr. Barrie that the prisoner was connived at by him, and let go scot- free. And I must mention the fact also to compliment myself on the art of appeal which I had learnt so well at the time. And with all this, if a charge were framed and I was punished along with the prisoner, well, I took it as a matter of course. Once for such a sin I was made to stand one whole week in my room hung up by the chains on my hands. When Mr. Barrie came to my room, he said full of satire and pointing to my handcuffs, "Oh, what is this new thing?" I replied, "It is the postage I have to pay." He retorted, "Is it not a bit too heavy?" I paid back, "Not in the least, it is so very cheap." "Newspapers have to be paid for inclusive of postage; here I get the newspaper and pay only the postage for it." "Once I pay this postage of a week in handcuffs, and I get for six months after, newspapers to read, free of any charge."