'Report on Najd Mission 1917-1918' [‎6v] (12/60)

(2) that Hamud should be left undisturbed at the task on which he was^
then employed; and
(3) that Dhari's allowance should be increased from Es. 1,000 to Es. 3,000
p.m. and that his services henceforth should be placed at the disposal of the
Najd Mission—the rifles withdrawn from Sand being handed over to him.
In view of the possibility of hostile action by Ajaimi against the Samawa-
Khamisiya line and of the fact that Sand al Salih was still regarded by the
enemy as a considerable asset on our side, Sir P. Cox was unable to accept
my recommendations regarding him and decided to defer consideration of the
matter to a more convenient season.
My other proposals were however approved and, before the Mission left
Basrah, I had several long interviews with Dhari ibn Tawala, with whom I
finally arranged that he should move down with his following in about a
month's time to the neighbourhood of Hafar al Batin, whence he should send
a messenger to me, either at Eiyadh or Buraida, to get further orders. In
issuing these instructions I was actuated by the desire that Dhari and his
tribesmen should be within easy reach of my headquarters in case it proved
feasible after full discussion with Ibn Saud to bring them into any general
scheme of action, which might be decided on. In the meantime he was to cut
off all communication between Hail and the East and to raid any caravan that
might try to slip through.
The subsequent course of events prevented my keeping touch with Dhari
during the winter months but, on reaching Basrah again in March, 1918, I
found two messengers from him arrived* in search of me and the arrears of
Dhari's monthly allowance. Accompanying them back to Dhari's camp I
found that the latter had duly carried out my orders in so far that he and r
so far as I could see, a very considerable following of the Shammar had for
some months p^st been encamped in the neighbourhood of the wells of Hafar.
I was unable to judge whether his blank record in the matter of captured or
raided caravans was due to want of reasonable opportunity or want of will.
I fear the latter, though up to this date (the beginning of April) lie is entitled
to receive the benefit of any doubt there may be in the absence of evidence of
any treachery on his part.
Indeed the favourable opinion I had already formed of him on first
acquaintance was enhanced by my short stay in his camp and during the
subsequent journey to Shaib Shauki, on which he accompanied me and during
which I had every opportunity of intimacy with him. I was a trifle disap'-
pointed to find that he was not less avaricious than others of his kind, but I
thought to turn this failing to advantage.
Having paid him the arrears of some five months' allowances due to him
I consented to pay him in advance for the following three months on his under-
tciking to remain at llalar and to institute a vigorous campaign against
blockade running. In addition to this I distributed liberal presents to Dhari
Jumself, the various ( luets of sections resident in his camp and to all members-
of the unnecessarily large escort, with which he thought necessary to accom
pany me.
Arrived at Shaib Shauki I consulted Ibn Saud regarding the employment
of Dhari to further the common cause and, though somewhat sceptical of his-
good faith, he agieed that the experiment was worth a trial and that Hafar
would be the most favourable base of operations for him to work from. During
the few days that Dhari remained at Ibn Saud's camp I took every opportunitv
to impress upon him that the continuance of Government's generous treatment
of him depended entirely on his own efforts to further our common cause and
Ibn Saud himself confided to him something of his plans for descending upon
the hostile Shammar in Eamdhan, in which case Dhari would be expected to 1
cut off the retread of the enemy. Thus generously treated and carefullv in
structed in the roZe he was to play, Dhari returned to Hafar loudly protesting
his gratitude and his intention of abiding loyally by the arrangement arrived
at.
Within a month of his arriving at Hafar he abandoned his post and moved
down to Safwan, where he was apparently received "with open arms and with
out question. Shortly afterwards, on a report by the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at
Kuwait that I was out of touch with him, he was removed from my jurisdiction
without reference to me and, in due course, some 500 camels, loaded with
goods from Zubair or Kuwait and franked through by Dhari, arrived at Hail
—of this the evidence in my possession leaves no room for doubt.
]Sor was this all, for, when Ibn Saud's son, Turki, descended on the
Sliammai m the neighbourhood of the wells of Ajibba accordinn* to the pre
arranged programme, the enemy withdrew unmolested to wells further afield
the wells of Hafar being at the time occupied ostensibly on behalf of Dhari,'
j ^ i sun " s ® c j : i on of the Shammar, who were at enmity with Ibn Saud
and ottered no opposition to their retreating brethren.
It is perfectly clear that Dhari, now knowing that a conflict with his
Shammar brethren would be forced upon him by Ibn Saud's contemplated