-
Subject Index A-B
-
Subject Index C-F
-
Subject Index G-K
-
Subject Index L-O
-
Subject Index P-Z
Email: info@searcs-web.com
Searc's Web Guide to 18th Century Ireland - John Zephanian Holwell (1711-1798)
|
|
Email: info@searcs-web.com Searc's Web Guide to 18th Century Ireland - John Zephanian Holwell (1711-1798) |
|
John Zephanian Holwell was born in Dublin where he studied medicine. In 1732 he went to
India as a surgeon in the employ of the East India Company. In 1756 he partook in the defence of Fort William
against Surajud Dowla, Suba of Bengal.
When the Fort surrendered Holwell was imprisoned in the Black Hole of Calcutta with 145
others at 8.00 pm on the night of 20th of June, 1756 and released at 6.00 am the following
morning. Of those imprisoned only 23 survived the night in that horrendous prison cell. Holwell subsequently wrote the only English language account of that prison entitled 'A Genuine Narrative of the deplorable deaths of the gentlemen who were suffocated in the Black Hole at Fort William, Calcutta', published in Indian Tracts (1764) from which this extract is taken.© Figure to yourself, my friend, if possible, the situation of a hundred and forty-six wretches, exhausted by continual fatigue and action, thus crammed together in a cube of about 18 feet, in a close sultry night, in Bengal, shut up to the eastward and the southward by dead walls, and by a wall and door to the north, open only to the westward by two windows strongly barred with iron, from which we could receive scarce any the least circulation of fresh air... Whilst I was at the second window, I was observed by one of my miserable companions on the right of me, in the expedient of allaying my thirst by sucking my shirt sleeve. He took the hint and robbed me from time to time of a considerable part of my store; though after I had detected him, I had ever the address to begin on that sleeve first, when I thought my reservoirs were sufficiently replenished; and our mouths and noses often met in the contest... Before I had hit upon this happy expedient, I had, in an ungovernable fit of thirst, attempted drinking my urine; but it was so intently bitter there was no enduring a second taste, whereas no Bristol water could be more soft or pleasant than what arose from perspiration... In this plight from half an hour past eleven till near two in the morning I sustained the weight of a heavy man with is knees in my back, and the pressure of his whole body on my head... When I had born this conflict above an hour some infernal spirit, lacking the advantage of this period, brought to my remembrance my having a small clasp penknife in my pocket, with which I determined instantly to open my arteries and finish a system no longer to be borne. I had got it out when heaven interposed and restored me to fresh spirits and resolution, with an abhorrence of the act of cowardice I was just going to commit... But Oh! What words shall I adopt to tell you the whole that my soul suffered at reviewing the dreadful destruction round me? I will not attempt it and indeed tears stop my pen. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008 |
|
|