[Un-numbered file] 'Diary of Colonel Hamilton's Visit to Nejd 1918' [‎19r] (37/206)

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-i.
about 60 ft. from the land-level. The upkeep of this well and garden worked
out at 100 dollars a month, so my host informed me. The local opinion of the
present political situation is that Bin Saud and Tbn Rashid have some sort of
understanding though Bin Sand and the Mutair are on their guard against the
‘Ajman, who would have been left completely in the lurch had not Salim given
them an asylum in his territories. This understanding is believed to be in the
nature of a truce. Bin Saud may think that the Central Powers will be the
eventual victors. He does not relish the idea of being driven out of Hasah
should the Turks return, but, on the other hand, he believes that if we are
victorious it Mill not be long before we take control of all the Arab littoral of
the Gulf, including Hasah. If the Entente Powers succeed Bin Saud will
have to take a back seat as regards His Highness the King of the Hijaz and
this would be a more bitter pill for him than even the loss of Hasah. He is,
therefore, sticking his toes into the ground; jealousy of the Sherif, jealousy of
Kuwait, and religious and racial jealousy of our conquest of Mesopotamia are
causing him to veer round.
There is a revivalist Islam movement in Riadh and Artawiyah. How
far Bin S£ud and his father are countenancing it can only be guessed at;
but he might find in it the weapon that he is looking for to get even with the
Sherif. Bin Sand’s hostility towards Shaikh Salim of Kuwait for harbouring
the ‘Ajman is a factor not to be lost sight of. Quite possibly Kuwait, which
is the lever of Qasim, will prove an invaluable counterweight to any hostile
combination in Najd. If Bin Sand should throw us over Kuwait could bring
us into relations with the Shammar and ‘Ajman and enable us to use them
for our purposes. Bin Sdud complains that we harbour the 'Ajman, his
enemies, whilst he, faithful to the letter and spirit of his agreement with us,
will have nothing to do with our enemies. This is probably the line he will take
with us. We should get him to take Hail if he wants an increase of allowances.
The above reflections are the result of my talks with the Zilfi Amir, a man of
great independence of character, who talks unusually freely about local
politics.
28th Ocfo&er.—Started at 7-15 a.m., reached the Nufudh in 20 minutes.
About 1-| hours from Zilfi reached 3
“«r/-TempT 5 "; mi ' ei ' patches of palms, a largish garden.
Nakhl al Hamthiyah is its name. Water
about 15 ft. below the surface drawn by small cattle. Another \ hour or so
further on came on 2 other gardens, the further being pretty large and
protected by 3 towers. Water is so near the surface that, once established, the
trees need no irrigation. I made out the water about 10 ft. below the surface.
Water in all these gardens is fresh and plentiful. Halted at 11-30 a.m. Ibn
Huhaiman again gave trouble, coming up to the place where the Amir of Zilfi
and I were seated on the ground with Mullah ‘Abdul 1 th, and putting down the
shirt, drawers, and chajiyah I had given him. He said ;Hiey were too small
meant for a boy, not for a man. The act done before the Amir of Zilfi was an
impertinence and I told him so. He, therefore, began to abuse the Mullah and
all concerned. I must get rid of him either at once or from Buraidah.
Left our resting-place at 3-30 p.m. At about 4-45 p.m. passed 2 long
valleys, that to the right called Saidaniyah and to the left Maarah near which
is a road leading to ‘Anaizah. Half an hour later we began to descend the
Nufudh into a wide plain covered with shrubs. Here the Amir of Zilfi, who
was guiding us, pointed out the landmarks; on the right, Burmah ( ^ ),
a dark hill of no great altitude but very conspicuous in the slight undulation.
The plain in front of us they call the Mistawi ( ^‘wJI ). The Mistawi is
that long, level valley which runs south-east to near Riadh on the western
side of Jabal Tuwaiq. This is the quickest route to Riadh but is through the
wilderness up to Sudus.
We reached the foot of the Nufudh at 6 p.m. (just after sunset) when we
alighted for prayers and coffee. Proceeded thence on level, with plenty of
camel grazing, until 9-15 p.m. when we camped in a hollow. The Nufudh
between Zilfi and Buraidah is very green with the shrub athar ; plenty of
grazing.