'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎123] (138/1050)

AGA—AGE
123
AGAIL—
A community from the midst of the Arabian peninsula, mostly from Qasim. They
inhabit the caravan towns and villages of Buraidah, 'Anaizah, 'A un, Bukairlyah,
Khabrah and Rass. The Bedouins call them Al-Agailat. There are 150 dromedary
riders of the Agail, armed with matchlocks, appointed to the Hajj service ; it is thought
that they of all men are most able to deal with the Bedouins^ There is a Shaikh of
the Agail at Damascus, through whom they deal with any government. [Doughty.)
Leachman says that the name Agail was originally given to inhabitants of Qasim who
leave their country to engage in business. They trade chiefly in camels, and carry on
their transactions between Kuwait, Baghdad, Damascus, and Egypt, In Baghdad there
are a number of Agail who have practically settled in that place, but every now and
then they return to Qasim. Agail can pass in the desert without fear of molestation
from raiding parties; and amongst Bedouin tribes they are received with favour, not
only because they buy camels, but because they aid the tribe with their counsels in tribal
matters. The name Agail is often applied to camel-merchants not originating from
Qasim. The i^gail are the guides and conductors of caravans in Arabia. They are not
a tribe but an organization partaking of the nature of a club or society or a masonic
lodge. They have no connexion with the ancient Agail tribe of the Ahl-ash-Shamal,
from whom the Muntafik claim descent; this seems to have disappeared and left no
trace. The modern Agail are all Najd Arabs, townsfolk or nomads of any tribe from
Hasa, 'Aridh, Qasim or Jabal Shammar ; but men of Sadair and the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Dawasir are
not admitted nor are members of any of the big tribes, such as the Harb and Ateibeh,
who are engaged in interminable blood feuds, allowed to become members, the object
being to keep the Agail society neutral. Settled Bcni Tamim and Bani Khalid of
Najd and Qasim are most suitable for its purposes. The head-quarters of the society
are at Baghdad, and its president, who is always a native of Buraidah, likes at Baghdad
and there enrols the members.
The Agail are of two kinds : Jemamil, camel-men forming the fraternity of caravan
leaders, and Dhogorti, poor men, pedlars and mercenaries, who help to compose an ir
regular cavalry under the Ottoman flag and serve as escort to the Hajj and as guards to
the qaVahs, stations or halting-places, on the Hajj road. These last do not belong to
the society. The true Agail are recognized throughout Arabia as professional guides
whose presence vouches for a caravan of merchants or travellers and removes it from all
suspicion of hostile intentions. It is the Agail who conduct the camel-trade of the
desert, being employed by the dealers of Damascus to purchase from the tribes in Arabia,
in the Syrian desert and in Mesopotamia.
Such an institution as this society, with universal freedom of passage, is essential to
the conduct of business in Arabia, where no tribesman, unless he be engaged on a raiding
expedition, dare venture outside his own tribal territory for fear of hereditary feuds
and enmities which imperil his existence. It is very dangerous for a European traveller
to assume the character of an Agail: but Arabs, who with to shield the caravan in
which the traveller is from molestation, will sometimes impose it on him (this was
done to Shakes pear near Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. al-Arabah in 1914). His best course, then, is, on the
approach of any stranger, to feign illness and remain rolled up, face and all.
AGAILI—
A desert watering-place in the Fajar district north'of Madain Salih and north-west of
the Tayma oasis, used by dhalul riders carrying letters between Damascus and Madain
Salih during the Hajj.
'AGAL ( Shatt-al ).—A stream said to be across the direct route Fakhah-Markaz
? Amarah, and to be within two hours of the first named.
AGAP (Btj)—
A creek, with some habitations, in Fao [q. v.), '
AGEL (A l)—
This place is reported to be the third stage on the nomad route between Tayma and
Ma'an, and according to Doughty's map lies near the west end of Jabal Tobeyk. (See
Tubaik).— {Doughty.)
r2