File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎69r] (146/834)

i
— 521
Ins main sources of information are turn-coat tribesmen of the
border lands, who are Sunnis to him and Wahabis to Ibn Baud.
A report from Wejh states that thirty-five Turks with a
mountain gun and a machine gun deserted about December 28
from Ivhilis, a post described as being three miles south of
el-Ula and one hour west of the railway. These Turks are
expected to arrive shortly at Wejh.
/ deserters' Information.
Food for the Turkish army in Palestine was, until recently,
sent by boat from the Kerak district to the north of the Dead
Sea. The port of Kerak is Glior Mezraa, whence supplies of
wheat, barley, durra, tibn, goats, sheep, etc., were transported
either to Ehdeib, west of the d or dan mouth, or up the river to
the Jericho bridge. Deserters state that for this traffic about
twenty boats were being used, two of which carried thirty to
thirty-five tons each ; and there were three motor launches which
could tow these boats in calm weather. One motor launch has
been taken to Salt, and,is probably destined for Lake Tiberias.
Ehdeib was recently bombed by our aircraft, as a result of
which some twenty boatmen deserted ; but there are said to be
about seventy remaining.
Kerak produce went also to Katrani station, and thence both
south to Medina and north to Deraa. The Turks paid twenty
medjidiehs (£3/6/8) for 180 kilos, of wheat, and two medjidiehs
for the transport of this quantity either to Gfhor Mezraa or
Katrani.
The army was regularly supplied with salt from Jebel
Udsum, on the south-west corner of the Dead Sea. In the
winter months the salt is said to break away from the mountain
and to be found on the shore ready for loading.
Deserters report that, about the middle of December, all the
boats at Ehdeib had been sent to the Gfhor Mezraa to load and
return as soon as possible, and the latest news, which comes
from Akaba, is that the Turks are destroying all the stores of
wheat they can lay hands on in the Kerak area. They intend,
apparently, to evacuate this district, where they are believed to
have four battalions estimated at 2,500 men. The local Arabs
are hostile to them, and believe that Sheikh Qader Mujali, who
was imprisoned bv the Turks and died, was poisoned by them.
[Late News .—A recent report states that the Kerak Arabs
are in open revolt and are besieging the Turkish garrison.
With reference to Ahmed Jemal Pasha’s letter to Sherif
Feisal, reported on page 510, King Husein has instructed Feisal
by telegraph that he should reject without hesitation all proposals
from Jemal.]