'Southern Nejd: Journey to Kharj, Aflaj, Sulaiyyil, and Wadi Dawasir in 1918.' [‎6r] (16/100)

but I think that on reconsideration he repented of his decision.
The days passed by and my cautious enquiries from people
about the palace failed to discover any sign of active prepara
tion. The climate was still pleasant enough owing to a
succession of thunderstorms which rolled up every evening
over the broad back of Tuwaiq to pass over the city on their
northerly course, and I was anxious to make a start before the
weather changed to summer conditions. When April gave
way to May with still no sign of preparation, I took courage
to broach the matter to Ibn Sand, whose reply confirmed my
suspicions, but I was not going to be baulked a second time,
and began to be importunate with complete success. Orders
were now given for the camels to come in and, on May 5, I
received the glad news that we should start on the morrow.
That night Riyadh enjoyed the last thunderstorm of spring.
On the morning of May 6 I rose early hoping for an early
start while it was yet cool but I was yet to have two interviews
with Ibn Sand in the course of which he gave me much parting
advice including an injunction to give Hariq and Hauta as
wide a berth as possible owing to the savage insularity and
fanaticism of their people—of whom more hereafter. At
9.30 a.m. taking a final farewell of my host I issued forth from
the palace gate and was soon beyond the walls of the city with
some twenty-four companions. Of these only two were of my
former party, Ibrahim unfortunately being again in charge,
while Tami the Camel, a delightful person of the Shammar
Aslam, who has accompanied every recent British visitor to
Nejd, again proved to be the life and soul of the party. Of the
rest a Sheikh of A1 Murrah named Jabir was a conspicuous
character, having thrice traversed the Great Desert from his
home in Jabrin to the southern sea, each time of course on
raids against the tribes of the coast; the Ateiba, Qahtan and
Dawasir each contributed one representative while of the last
named tribe we picked up casual guides from time to time
during the journey. The Shamir branch of the Yam provided a
guide for the first part of the journey and Saad ibn Jilham,
a man well over sixty who remembers the closing period of
Feisal's reign, accompanied us as an expert in the affairs of the
south, with whose administration he has been intimately asso
ciated over a long period. The rest of the party consisted of
oddments, servants, etc.