'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎107v] (219/470)

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satisfaction. They are still much respected and do not intermarry with the rest
of A1 ‘Aqrah.
(5) Albu Nail, numbering about 1,500 fighting men, possess lands on the
Dagharah right bank behind A1 ‘Amr, like whom they had no recognised shaikh.
‘Abd al Risalah was selected. He has no personality and requires constant support,
but is the best of the many Sarkals of the tribe, which very loosely holds together.
( 6 ) Al Majawir are much scattered, some cultivating in Shafahyah on the
Hillah branch, right bank, others on the left bank near Diwaniyah. Their Shaikh,
Salman al Hasan, lives in the town, and they are losing tribal cohesion.
(7) Al Zaiyad, Shaikh ‘Alwan al Chahali, cultivate behind Al Hamad, drawing
water from the same canal, formerly a cause of incessant quarrels. They have
suffered much from the intrigues of Sa‘dun al Rasan, who strives always to under
mine ‘Alwan’s authority in his tribe. During the first few days after the appointment
of an A.P.O. a serious fight took place between the tribes, resulting in approximately
100 deaths. No fighting has since occurred, though feelings have, on occasions, run
high, and prompt action was necessary to check a tendency to fly to arms.
( 8 ) Al Murramadh, under Dohan al Challab, are a peaceful tribe, formerly
oppressed by Al Hamid.
The ‘Afaj group are a wealthy confederation, formerly under Haji Mukhif as
paramount Shaikh, he having wrested the position from Mandhur al ‘Abdullah, the
hereditary Shaikh. The former, learning that certain objectionable dealings with
Revenue Officials had become known, tendered his resignation, which was accepted.
At the request of the tribes, Mandhur was reinstated. Haji Mukhif, after some
futile attempts to cause inconvenience, has apparently reconciled himself to his
position as a wealthy merchant and owner of a valuable Tapu estate. The ‘Afaj
Shaikhs are, on the whole, well able to control their tribes and are pleasant mannered.
They have never been directly disobedient to Government orders, but are prone to
delay in compliance, prone also to petty intrigue, and are more inclined to deal
unfairly with their Sarkals than the Dagharah Shaikhs. This is probably due to
the fact that in Turkish times they were not controlled and used to combine to
oppress their Sarkals. Such a combination gave the Shaikhs considerable power,
which they were not slow to abuse. Cases of severe oppression are not infrequent,
and reliable information is difficult to obtain, since Shaikhs support one another to
an extent unusual in a country where every man is, as a rule, willing to inform
against his neighbour.
The group comprises :—
( 1 ) Al Bahahithah, under Shaikh Haji Barman, a powerful tribe numbering
about 3,000 fighting men.
(2) Al Hamzah are under ‘Abbud al Hamad, an old man, of genial disposition
but very close-fisted. Fighting men about 3,000.
(3) Al Sha‘bah under Rasan al Shabib, numbering about 1,800 men.
(4) Albu Nashi, Shaikh Badr Abu Hasanah. They share with Al Sha‘bah
a reputation for bravery which was doubtless needed to protect themselves from
the larger tribes of Bahahithah and Al Hamzah.
(5) Al Makhadharah under Dhahir al Farman, 1,000 fighting men.
( 6 ) Al Ghanim, Mandhur al ‘Abdullah the paramount Shaikh of ‘Afaj.
Since his appointment he has dealt with his tribes tactfully and is improving in
control.
(7) Al Chuhaish under Manahi al Muqotar, nephew of Mandhur al ‘Abdullah,
and his right hand man. A quiet and reserved character, he sets a good example
to less obedient shaikhs.
The Al Budair group comprises—
( 1 ) Al Farahanah, who cultivate on both banks, and on the right bank are
subject to Shaik Sha‘lan al Haji Shahad, a verj^ trustworthy and useful Shaikh, and
on the left bank are under Shaikh Haji Saqban, an amusing person, the local wit,
who is an inveterate schemer, endeavouring to conceal his intrigues under a guise
of senile stupidity. He is an extraordinarily good judge of character.
(2) Albu Husain, under Faisal ibn Miz‘al al ‘Aufi. These tribes are subdivided
into many sections and number in all some 15,000 men, of whom about 7,000 have
now returned to their lands, and others are constantly arriving. When the Shatt