'File 61/13 I (D 133) Wahabis and Pilgrimage to Hedjaz' [‎172r] (355/431)

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185. Some ten or so West Africans were, as usual, assisted on their onward fr/ : >
th^Legation 6 m fun ds of the Nigerian Repatriation Fund held by
au ^ Ami f r 0f MU11 ' made the P il g rima ge to Mecca this year accom
panied by his son two wives and servants, arrived in Jedda on the 20th March.
He ran short oi funds on his return from Mecca and was advanced £350 bv
this Legation. ' J
(14) Somali Pilgrimage.
Wtt J. 87, . Acc ?. r 4 in 8 to the Saudi returns (see paragraph 34), fifty-two Somalis
lifc ; of all nationalities entered this country via the port of Jedda this year, as
compared with seventy-nve last year. As far as can be judged, not more than
twenty Somalis from the British ^omaliland Protectorate and a lesser number
from Aden are included in the figure of fifty-two. It is thought that fewer
Somalis than usual came on pilgrimage overland this year owing to the Saudi-
• 1; Yemen war, which seriously restricted free access to the Holv Land through the
southern ports.
188. Nine Somali ratings of the sloop H.M.S. Penzance, on a visit to Jedda
during Haj week, made the pilgrimage this year.
189. The system governing the repatriation of Somali destitutes was, in
consultation with the Government of Somaliland, readjusted this year. It had
been decided early last year (see paragraph 199 of last year's report) to repatriate
able-bodied Somali destitutes by dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. and the aged and sick by steamship, but,
it was found later in the year that owing to a variety of circumstances few of the
Somalis repatriated by dhow A term adopted by British officials to refer to local sailing vessels in the western Indian Ocean. reached their homes. Accordingly, all Somali
destitutes were repatriated by steamship this year via Aden, and it is hoped that
this procedure will be continued in future years.
190. The only advance made this year to a Somali was to the tribal chief
(Garad) of the Eyal Warsengeri, who ran short of funds on his return from
Mecca.
191. Repatriation of British Somalis : position on the 30th June, 1934:—
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{a) Applications considered deserving of consideration ; 40.
(b) Applicants repatriated : 26
{c) Applications still under reference : nil.
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192. According to the Saudi returns (see paragraph 34), 534 Sudanese
pilgrims entered the port of Jedda from Suakin this year in ships of the Khedivial
Mail Line, as compared with 420 last year.
193. Fears that pilgrims from villages in the Sudan would again erroneously
render themselves liable to increased Saudi dues, as described in paragraph 203
of last year's report, proved groundless. Only two cases came to the attention
of the Legation. It should be stated in this connexion that certain holders of
Suakin pilgrim passes were simply described as being " Min Ahali Essudan "—
a rather vague description of domicile. This description tended to create a
suspicion in the minds of the Saudi authorities that the holders of such pilgrim
passes were natives of towns of the Sudan and that this general description
of domicile was an attempt on the part of the holders to evade the payment of
the higher dues.
194. Forty-nine Sudanese pilgrims were advanced a total of £131 12s. 2d.
in the return season to enable them (a) to settle their mutawwif's dues; (5) repay
loans contracted whilst on pilgrimage; and (c) to subsist while awaiting a home-
bound ship. The individual sums advanced this year were unusually high as
several applicants for relief represented large families.
195. Owing to the fact that the Khedivial Mail Line has, as usual, to serve
pilgrims of all nationalities, there was the usual shortage of ships at various
periods in the return season. Various Sudanese delegations visited the Legation
(see section 13 paragraph 2, of the report for 1929) to protest against the ship
shortage They were informed that they must take their turn with the pilgrims
of other nationalities Mr. A. S. Redfern, the Commissioner of Port Sudai?- who