That Summer Night In A Dungeon

They gasped for breath in that dark dungeon cell A hundred and forty six men huddled in black hell In that hole of Fort William eighteen by fourteen The screaming souls realized next morn wouldn't be seen. Two tiny windows were all there was high up on the wall Slowly passed that night of June hung in deadly lull Water water they wailed their throats were desert dry The summer heat poured in sweats as the tears of their cry. Two women were among them they were the first to go Suffocated by lack of air their breathing began to slow Was dying Tom's fiancée and he wrung his sweated shirt If could revive his moisture's drop save life of sweetheart. One by one they collapsed amid the buzz of death's din Begging for a drop of water in despair drinking urine The dead stood on their feet there wasn't a space to fall Survived only forty three men among them Holwell! In the history it's known as the tragedy of black hole With many riddles still misty the Bengal Nawab's role Account of that summer night the ghastly horror's tale It's now known was exaggerated by Commander Holwell.