DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0449
• THE BLACK-HOLE AT CALCUTTA.
399
The Jemmautdaar promised that he would attempt it, and
withdrew, but returned in a few minutes, and said it was
impossible. Mr. Holwell then thought that he had not of-
fered enough, and therefore promised him 2090 rupees.
Upon this he withdrew again, but soon returned a second
time, and with great appearance of compassion said, it
could not possibly be done without an order from the Vice-
roy, who was then asleep, and that nobody dared to awake
him. It is, however, difficult to conceive how this could be
true, if, as Mr. Holwell supposed, the Viceroy’s orders were
general, to keep the prisoners safely till the morning, and
that the finding a proper place for the purpose was left to
the Jemmautdaars, who, after this order was received,
searched the apartments with torches, and at last fixed upon,
the Black-hole. But whatever was the impediment, the un-
happy prisoners had neither means to know, nor power to
remove it. Within ten minutes after they were locked in,
every one fell into a most profuse sweat, which soon brought
on an intolerable thirst, that perpetually increased in pro-
portion as the body was drained of its moisture.
The floor of the place in which they were confined being
18 feet by 18 feet, contained 324 square feet, which divided
by 146, the number of persons, gives a space of something
more than 26 inches and a half by 12, for each person,
which, reduced to a square, will be near 18 inches by 18
inches. This space, though it was sufficient to hold them
without pressing violently on each other, yet it obliged them
to stand so near together, as greatly increased their heat;
it was therefore proposed that every one should pull off their
clothes, as an expedient to increase the space between
them. This proposal was immediately approved, and in a
few minutes every man in the Assembly, except Mr. Hol-
well and three others that stood at the w'indow with him,
were naked. This expedient afforded them a temporary rc-
lief, and to improve it, every one fanned the air with his hat,
399
The Jemmautdaar promised that he would attempt it, and
withdrew, but returned in a few minutes, and said it was
impossible. Mr. Holwell then thought that he had not of-
fered enough, and therefore promised him 2090 rupees.
Upon this he withdrew again, but soon returned a second
time, and with great appearance of compassion said, it
could not possibly be done without an order from the Vice-
roy, who was then asleep, and that nobody dared to awake
him. It is, however, difficult to conceive how this could be
true, if, as Mr. Holwell supposed, the Viceroy’s orders were
general, to keep the prisoners safely till the morning, and
that the finding a proper place for the purpose was left to
the Jemmautdaars, who, after this order was received,
searched the apartments with torches, and at last fixed upon,
the Black-hole. But whatever was the impediment, the un-
happy prisoners had neither means to know, nor power to
remove it. Within ten minutes after they were locked in,
every one fell into a most profuse sweat, which soon brought
on an intolerable thirst, that perpetually increased in pro-
portion as the body was drained of its moisture.
The floor of the place in which they were confined being
18 feet by 18 feet, contained 324 square feet, which divided
by 146, the number of persons, gives a space of something
more than 26 inches and a half by 12, for each person,
which, reduced to a square, will be near 18 inches by 18
inches. This space, though it was sufficient to hold them
without pressing violently on each other, yet it obliged them
to stand so near together, as greatly increased their heat;
it was therefore proposed that every one should pull off their
clothes, as an expedient to increase the space between
them. This proposal was immediately approved, and in a
few minutes every man in the Assembly, except Mr. Hol-
well and three others that stood at the w'indow with him,
were naked. This expedient afforded them a temporary rc-
lief, and to improve it, every one fanned the air with his hat,