Top of page

Book/Printed Material Black Waters: The Strange History of Port Blair

About this Item

Title

  • Black Waters: The Strange History of Port Blair

Summary

  • Tavarikh-i 'ajib (Black waters: The strange history of Port Blair) is an account of the British penal colony of Port Blair, located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. The British first established a naval base and penal colony on the islands in 1789, which they had abandoned by 1796 because of disease. Following the Uprising of 1857 (also known as the Sepoy Rebellion), the British authorities in India saw a new need for a secure prison in a remote location, and construction began in Port Blair later that year. In subsequent decades, many political prisoners were housed in the Cellular Jail, also called Kala Pani (Black Waters). Muhammad Jafar (1838--1905) was deported to the Andaman colony for his part in the 1857 uprising. In this book, he describes the life and customs of the islanders, the rules and regulations for the management of the convicts in the period 1858--79, and the people in authority at the penal colony. He also highlights major events, such as the 1872 assassination at Port Blair of Governor-General Lord Mayo. The book includes a table of Hindi and Urdu words and phrases and Arabic equivalents. Other tables detail the many languages spoken in the colony. The work is illustrated with drawings of the inhabitants and of local flora and fauna. It was first published in 1890; this copy is the second, revised and expanded, edition of 1892.

Names

  • Jaʾfar, Muhammad, 1838-1905 Author

Created / Published

  • Lucknow : Munshi Nool Kashor, 1892.

Headings

  • -  India--Andaman and Nicobar Islands
  • -  1857 to 1892
  • -  Great Britain--Colonies
  • -  Political prisoners
  • -  Port Blair (India)
  • -  Prisoners
  • -  Prisons

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 212 pages ; 24.1 x 15.5 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Government College University Lahore.
  • -  Content in Arabic and Hindi and Urdu.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021666207

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

JaʾFar, Muhammad, Author. Black Waters: The Strange History of Port Blair. Lucknow: Munshi Nool Kashor, 1892. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666207/.

APA citation style:

JaʾFar, M. (1892) Black Waters: The Strange History of Port Blair. Lucknow: Munshi Nool Kashor. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666207/.

MLA citation style:

JaʾFar, Muhammad, Author. Black Waters: The Strange History of Port Blair. Lucknow: Munshi Nool Kashor, 1892. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021666207/>.