'Military Report on Mesopotamia (Iraq)' [‎71r] (146/226)

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deserted en bloc to the Sham mar Jarba and bad blood
arose between the two main tribes. In April, 1920, the
quarrel was accentuated by a dispute over caravan tolls.
A few men were killed in an affray between tribal
parties, but a temporary peace was patched up by the
Turkish authorities in Nisibin. Eventually Muhammad
was able to conciliate the Jawalah and llashid, both of
which returned to the allegiance of the chief. The Tai,
owing to their geographical position and the necessity to
them of the Nisibin market, have been peculiarly
susceptible to Turkish propaganda. Their . importance
was also easily realized by Sharifian agitation, and in
the spring of 1919 Muhammad received the first-known
propaganda letter of the Sherif of Mecca in Northern
Jazirah. The Tai, however, refrained from moving in
the Tel Afar disturbances, and, though canvassed con
tinually by Turks and discontented persons of Iraq,
have undertaken no hostilities against the British. In
December, 1920, Muhammad asked permission to bring
part of his tribe south of the Jabal Sinjar. It is con
ceivable that so long as grazing south and west of the
Sinjar is necessary to Tai flocks, they will do nothing
to offend the Iraq authorities. In the event of a big
Turkish move on Mosul, the Tai would seem to have no
option but to remain neutral or join in hostilities
against the Arab Government. Muhammad is a past
master in the art of diplomacy and knows to a moment
when to offer or refuse his allegiance to the Turks. He
is conserving all his tribal energies for the inevitable
struggle with the Shammar Jarba for supremacy in
Northern Jazirah. The Tai are now wholly nomadic
and wander between the Jabal Sinjar and the Jabal
Abd al Aziz. Occasionally they move within the
precincts of Nisibin. If the last few years are any guide
to their normal procedure, it is usual for them to spend
the winter north and west of the Jabal Sinjar and the
summer months between Nisibin and the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. al Hoi.
In their migrations they employ no given routes, and
their tents are scattered far and wide in the large area
of their wanderings. Their flocks probably total 20,000
to 30,000 head and their camels 1,500. Their chief supply
bases are Nisibin and Martlin, but Tai caravans
frequently find their way into Mosul. This has been
common of late owing to the scarcity of supplies in
Turkish territory. A fair amount of money is collected
annually from caravans using the Nisibin-Sinjar Mosul
route.