CONFINEMENT IN THE BLACK HOLE. 19 



The lives of 146 men were nothing in comparison to 

 disturbing for a moment the slumbers of a tyrant. Mr. 

 Holwell has described in detail the horrors of that fatal 

 night, which are scarcely paralleled in the annals of 

 human misery. Every moment added to their distress. 

 All attempts to obtain relief by a change of posture, from 

 the painful pressure to which it gave rise, only aggravated 

 their sufferings. The air soon became pestilential, pro- 

 ducing at every respiration a feeling of suffocation ; the 

 perspiration flowed in streams, and they were tormented 

 with the most burning thirst. Unfortunately, the stations 

 at or near the windows being decidedly the best, the most 

 dreadful struggles were made to reach them. Many of the 

 prisoners being common and foreign soldiers, exempt by 

 this dreadful calamity from all subordination,' made an 

 intolerable pressure, and the sufferers, as they grew weaker, 

 began to be squeezed or trampled to death. Loud cries 

 being raised of " water !" the humane jemautdar pushed 

 through the bars several skins filled with that liquid : but 

 this produced only an increase of calamity, through the 

 violent efforts made in order to obtain it. The soldiers 

 without found a savage sport in witnessing these contests, 

 and even brought lights to the windows in order to view 

 them to greater advantage. About eleven, the pri> ners 

 began to die fast ; six of Mr. Holwell's intimatft friends 

 expired at his feet, and were trampled upon by the sur- 

 vivors. Of those still alive, a gTeat proportion were raving 

 or delirious ; some uttered incoherent prayers, others the 

 most frightful blasphemies. They endeavoured by furious 

 invectives to induce the guards to fire into the prison and 

 end their miseries, but without effect. When day dawned 

 the few who had not expired were most of them either 

 raving or insensible. In this last state was Mr. Holwell 

 himself, when about six o'clock the nabob awoke and 

 inquired for him. On learning the events of the night, he 

 merely sent to ascertain if the English chief yet lived, and 

 being informed that there were appearances as if he might 

 recover, gave orders to open the fatal door. At that time, 

 of the 146 who had been enclosed, there breathed only 

 twenty-three. Mr. Holwell, being revived by the fresh 

 air, was immediately supported into the presence of the 

 nabob, who, on his beginning the dismal tale, ordered for 



