'File 61/6 vol.4 (D 34) Bin Saud and Akwan Movement' [‎103r] (205/565)

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Summing up, I think King Hussein to be a regular old fool, without the
the " Siyasi " of a flee (barghooth) entirely unfit for his position, and a pitiful
example of one who might have been great, working entirely against the in
terests of Arabs in general. Unfit for his position, it were better for every
one if he were dead. Far better if he were deposed and the late Sharif Aii of
Mocoa, now in Egypt, were placed on the throne instead.
From what I could gather from influential-people it would appear that
King Hussein is most unpopular in Mecca. The Kalid-dar of the great mosque
was most emphatic in this. He, of course, was prejudiced having recently had
his pay reduced. Others, however, were of the same opinion.
The dungeon of King Hussein called " Gabboo " was described to me at
length whilst we w r ere in Mecca It appears to be a cruel and disgusting
method of putting criminals to death.
Mecca is full of Effendis (ex-Turkish officials). There is no doubt what
soever that as long as such rascals are employed by the Sharif he will never be
able to put his house in order.
(2) Sharif AH is a faqir*' not a man. Has no push or energy. A person
altogether of most unprepossessing appearance. Tall, thin, with a small head
like that of a bird, he has nothing to say for himself. He has almost as bad a
temper as his father when he breaks out. Ali holds the title of Governor of
Medina. As assistants he has one Shahadth and Sharif bin Mansur. Ali
remained in Mecca during our stay there.
(3) (SAarj/is ador.key (hamar) who does nothing but eat and
drink and sleep. He docs not even dine among men nor does he know the
meaning of a Shaikh's " Mejlis " or " Mudheef ". " He sups regularly alone
with his mcther ", and lhat describes him better than anything I can tell you.
For the rest, Sharif 'Abdullah is good-looking, and well-built, but entirely
lazy. When asked by me in joke when he was coming to be king over us in
Iraq, 'Abdullah raised his hands with a gesture of horror and said : " Do you
suppose 1 shall ever dream of accepting any one's invitation to go and rule over
your madmen who are all 4 Nifaq '? Never while I live, I am much more
comfortable in Mecca
'Abdullah's one topic of conversation is politics, though he seems to know
precious little of what is happening in the world. Certainly in matters con^
oerning Iraq, he is pathetically ignorant.
(4) Sharif Shakir is a fine upstandinsr man. He clams to be a Bedouin
and lives in Bedouin style. T\ ears a " kafiyah " and ^agal", in contradis*
tinction to King Hussein, 'Abdullah and Ali, who all wear turbans or
" ammamahs ". Shakir, however, is no more a Bedouin than you are (meaning
Major Dickson), hti is a Hadhri, pure and simple, but loves to pose—he thinks
it grand.
(5) Ahmad Sanojee is Wazir Minister. al-Maliyah (Financial Secretary).
(6) The Chief Qnzi of Mecca is one 'Abdullah As-Siraj.
(7) The city of Mecca is hot and unhealthy, much fever being about.
Police arrangement^ in the town are good. Outside, Bedouins do as they -
please.
E
Latest Nbjd News.
Notes on the Akhwan, etc.
(1) Operations in Assir. —I met Hasan bin Ayadh with bis brother
Mohammad; Hasan is ex-ruler of Assir. Both brothers are being kept in
Riyadh by the Imam Bin Sa'ud as political prisoners. Hassan has just been
allowed to marry a Riyadh lady, the daughter of one Battal-al-Nathlul. It
would seem from this that Bin Sa'ud definitely intends adding Assir to his
territories. I heard in Riyadh Bin Sa'ud appointed officials and" Amirs in Assir
from the local inhabitants. This had caused great satisfaction.
(2) Ataihah news. —As mentioned previously, Shallal Bin Shalliyam, chief
of the Al-Muggattah section of the Uejaz Ataibah endeavoured to cause trouble