'File 61/6 vol.4 (D 34) Bin Saud and Akwan Movement' [‎91v] (182/565)

badly, killing many hundreds and capturing some hundreds of camels and
other booty. He also says that he is ignored and belittled by Government,
wlio do not know his real positron, etc. Talks too much indeed and very fast,
"without stopping to breathe, it seems.
42 J he body still aches, but I can enjoy food and drink better than on the
road live days. Good Arab fashion pulao and shorba : very cold water, icy cold.
Attendants very attentive and well-behaved.
43. Riyadh Thursday, 29th July 12th = Dhil Qaadah.—WioiQ letters to
.Bahrein, especially one to Tolitical Agent, covering all I could remember of a
Teiy long lecture of the Imam Bin Sand, about his relations with the Sherif,
am latter s continuous acts of hostility and aggression in spite of his own
oft-expressed good intention ; also about his, Bin Sand's, financial condition
large and mcreasmg expenditure and "debts incurred : owes 1190,000 "to
? :? 00 to Al1 Bm Cus toms Mudir, Qatif, took fresh loan of
itoOjOOO for the present expedition to Assir. In Assir, I gather 10,000
men under Musaidare still fighting. His son, Saud plead 15,000 men against
Ibn Bashid the other day, while Faisal Al Dawish attacked Qaraiyah at the
ea o 7, 0 Akl ^an. All this must entail a very heavy expenditure
m spite ot usual- Arab economy. In course of conversation'Bin Saud said
tnat . nlim, Khazaal and Talib were his enemies in spite of his havicff
been a good friend to each of them formerly. Salim was of a suspecting
na ure and^ possessed little or no sense. Khazaal was always iealous of
urn and insincere to ah ; while Talib was a double-faced old intriguer whose
return to Iraq would only create trouble for Government etc., etc.
i • on! noon Shalhub, the Imam's treasurer, and then Ahmad
bin lhanaryan visit us and offer any assistance, etc., to make us quite
comtcriable. As a matter of fact we are quite so and are only anxious to iret
orders to proceed to Mecca as early as possible. Former talks of the great
inqessant caHs of the Imam on the treasury and Tosha-Khana, his ever-growin-
i" ' 1 . etc., latter about the Mutadaiyanah ^Akhwan), who are
an ever-increasing compact body and a great force which the Imam has always
at Lis command : two lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of these could be mobilized at any moment. 'l
wonder if any part of Arabia could possibly maintain so large an army, were
it ever raised and marched, as food, water and fodder are so much lacked in
this part of the world. v
cool ^nd pleasant^ ^ther hot, especially out-of-doors. Nights are
♦rs t ^fday. oOlh July = 7.3th I)hil Qaadah. —Early morning walked out
mam A )dur Rahman s garden. It is one of the best vineyards in Riyadh
and contains various fruit-trees—pears, peaches, apricots—pomegranates and
guavas ; also water-melons A dark, elderly man of half-negro appearance
accompamcd us. He is said to be the Imam's half-brother and agent. He
treated us with exce.lent fresh grapes and water-melons, which seemed to
better than ordinary, as we ate these sitting on the little <t haudll ,, (water
reservoir) in the garden with water drawn from a big well bv donkeys, runnine
out into tne vineyard all around. It is very nice and cool here." Went for
Jumaah prayer in the Jamia mosque about 300 yards from the palace. All on
i'huTff 8 ^ lD ^ mosque smn to stare us with suspicion and dislike,
i ,»>{ cou.se, ti e 1 ions U ahhabi does not even deign to look, but turns
his tace as we approach near him, and this in spite of the full Arab dress we
rathtT I, have adopted. But why forget that we are " Aianib " outsiders!
non-lsejdis, and as such we are only fit to be suspected and hated, even
though w e go to the'r mosque and join thc-ir prayer. Shaikh Abdullah Bin
Abdul Latil read th« Khutbah and lead «ie prayers. This old gentleman is
the ighest religious authority in Nejd, and has the reputation of profound
learning and great piety He is practically the Shaikh-ul-Iskm of Neid
(though ho is not so styled) and controls all the Ulama or learned men and
Qazis. w horn lie appoints to the mofussil towns and villages. Bin Saud often
speaks 01 him with great reverence, and consults him in important state
attdirs, always showing mm a respect equal to that he has for his old father
in,am , h(.ur lishman. these being the only two persons whose advice is sought
and followed by this illustrious ruler. Nothing particularly to note about the
JUiutbah 'sermon) or tlie prayer, both being of the old orthodox Sunni type
that we arc accustomed to in India, with the necessary W ahhabi omission' of