File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎365v] (739/834)

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succeeded in extracting from his father the copy he promised to
Colonel Wilson, and it has also been found impossible to get
one from Constantinople. It therefore remains for Ibn Saud
to produce his original copy when the time comes for arbitration.
The following translation of a letter addressed by Ibn Saud
to one Yusef ibn Kanu, of Bahrein, gives the Nejd account of
the Tarabah fight. The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. has almost exactly doubled the
actual strength and armament of the Sherifian force.
“ May 31, 1919.
“ When we arrived at Sakhkhah we learnt that the
inhabitants of Tarabah had treacherously joined the Sherif
and, after plotting together, let him into Tarabah. We hastened
to go there, and on arrival at Qunsaliyeh received detailed
information which showed how Tarabah had been made over to
the Sherif. It appeared, further, that after occupying Tarabah,
the Sherif assembled the inhabitants and demanded that they
should declare me and the Nejd people as heretics, and those
who refused to do so were butchered. Then the Sherif told
some of our men to. go to me and let me know all that had
happened at Tarabah, and that he (Sherif) had come not only to
take Tarabah but to take my head and to subjugate the whole of
Nejd and Hasa. The Ikhwan in Khurma, on learning the fate of
Tarabah and its inhabitants, became greatly excited. Then 2,000
of them marched out to avenge, and of these 500 were swordsmen
carrying no other arms. The Sherif had 4,000 Turkish troops
taken from Medina, 7,000 Hejazi troops (Bedouin ?) with 20
guns, 40 machine guns and large stores carried by nearly 10,000
camels. The Ikhwan attacked before dawn, while it was still
dark. The Sherif was forewarned, and the fight lasted the whole
day. Sherif Abdullah himself slipped out at the commencement
with 50 horsemen and 200 camel riders ; but his men fought
on and were nearly all killed, and everything belonging to them
taken. Abdullah fled towards Taif. We are still in Watat
(near Khurma), and intend to go to Tarabah soon. Of the
Ikhwan only 150 were killed and 50 wounded, but none of
them were notable people. I send you these glad tidings before
going forward.”
With reference to the account of the Khurma dispute
given on page 111 of the last number of the Bulletin, Colonel
C. E. Wilson points out that although Mr. Phil by has since
attempted to show that the Emir of Khurma was not appointed
by King Husein, he admitted in his article entitled “ A Journey
across Arabia ” (page 74 of volume 1918) that that Emir
(Khalid) was Husein’s nominee.
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