“eighty-one Bábís were apprehended, of whom thirty-eight were leading members of the community. They were thrown into the Siyah-Chal”

Mother of Nasirud'-Din Shah

Now Tihran fell into turmoil. There was a full hue and cry seeking the Bábís. The mother of the young Shah was particularly vociferous in demanding vengeance. Haji ’Ali Khan, Hajibu'd-Dawlih of Maraghih, the farrash-bashi of the royal court, set about frenziedly seeking, finding and arresting as many of the Bábís as he could. At this juncture ’Abbas, the manservant of Haji Sulayman Khan, who had accepted the Faith of the Báb, turned coat and betrayed his master and his fellow believers. He had come to know personally many of the leading Babis of Tihran, and informed Hajibu'd-Dawlih of the meeting of his coreligionists in the house of his master. Therewith Haji Sulayman Khan’s house was surrounded and entered, and all the Bábís found there were arrested. All told, eighty-one Babis were apprehended, of whom thirty-eight were leading members of the community. They were thrown into the Siyah-Chal - the Dark Pit. 

- Balyuzi  (‘Baha’u’llah, The King of Glory’)