Page:History of Paul Jones.pdf/22

 defend the place against the ruler of Bengal. He expressed also the most extreme dissatisfaction at finding in the treasury only the small sum of 50,000 rupees. Yet, after three interviews, he dismissed him with assurances, on the word of a soldier, that no harm should be done to him. Mr Holwell returned to his companions, and found them surrounded by a strong guard, who led them into a veranda, or arched gallery, constructed to shelter the soldiers from the sun and rain, but which excluded the chambers behind it from light and air. Some quarters of the fort being on fire, they were involved in so thick a smoke as inspired them with the apprehension that a design was formed to suffocate them; but the guard was merely looking out for a proper place of confinement. They pitched upon a chamber employed as the common dungeon of the garrison, called the black hole; it consisted of a space of eighteen feet square, with only two small windows barred with iron, opening into the close veranda, and scarcely admitting a breath of air. Into this narrow receptacle, the whole of the officers and troops, 146 in number, were compelled to enter; and, on their venturing to remonstrate, the commander ordered every one who should hesitate, to be instantly cut down. Thus were they forcibly thrust into this fearful dungeon, into which the whole number could with difficulty be squeezed; the door was then fast barred from without. Their first impression, on finding themselves thus immured, was the utter impossibility of surviving one night, and the necessity of extricating themselves at whatever cost. The jemautdars, or Indian guards, were walking before the window, and Mr Holwell seeing one who bore on his face a more than usual expression of humanity, adjured him to procure for them room in which they could breath, assuring him next morning of a reward of 1000