500 Dr. Tereival on the EffeUs GfFaminSy t^i, 



Anifnal fat is fmgukrly powerful in affuagin-^ 

 the mod acute fcnfations of thirfl; as appears 

 from the narrative of the fufferings experienced 

 by thofe, who were confined in the black hok 

 at Calcutta. A hundred and forty- fix perfons^ 

 cxhaufted by fatigue and military duty, were 

 there tlirufi: together into a chamber of eighteer-i 

 Gubie feet, having only tv/o windows, ftrongly 

 barred with i-ron, from Vv'hich, in a clofe fuitry 

 fiioht, and in fuch a climate as that of Bengal-, 

 little or no circulation of frcfli air could be 

 enjoyed. In a few minutes, thefe unhappy 

 wretches fell into fo profufe a perfpiration, that 

 an idea can hardly be formed of it; and this 

 was fucceeded by a raging thirfi:, which increafed 

 in proportion as th€ body was drained of its 

 moifl:ure. Water! Water! became tlic univerfal 

 cry ; and an old foldier on the outfide, through 

 pity, furnifiied them with a few flcinfulls of it. 

 But thefe fcanty fupplies, like fprinklings osi 

 the fire, ferved only to feed and increafe the 

 flame. From this experience of its effects, Mr. 

 Holwell, their chief, determined to drink no 

 inore; and kept his moutii moid, by fucking 

 ihe perfpiration out of his fliirt fleeves, and 

 catching the drops as they fell from his head 

 and face. You cannot imagine, fays he, how 

 unhappy I was, if any of them efcaped me. 

 He came into the prifon without his coat, the 

 feafon being too hot to bear it ; And one of his 



.miferable 



