[Un-numbered file] 'Diary of Colonel Hamilton's Visit to Nejd 1918' [‎21v] (42/206)

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••' 'A'vi'ti * k *:iuk an,
12
Turki, received 10 dollars each as pocket money to
Distance—161 hours, 60 minutes, 417 miles.
Temp. 60°, Bar. 3,170'.
Muhammareh and from
spend in Qasim.
The chief peculiarity of Al-Mudhnib is the absolute flatness of the plain
on which it is built. Stony cliffs enclose the depression ; its apparent openness
to attack on all sides is also a noticeable feature. The inhabitants answered
my “ Salaam-Alaikum ” (j*%U ) smilingly. I observed no surliness, but this
is due to the fact that lam passing’through the country as the honoured guest
of Bin Saud and accompanied by his special messengers, Bami al Bair (.**01
and Sa’ad Ajmi. J
The water of this place is salty and aperitive. No one drinks except
from one well at Qasr Ibn Saud. That water, which is about 45 ft. below
the surface, is really good and sweet ; the best we have drunk since leaving
Kuwait.
Keft at 1-25 in the afternoon, and halted for ^ hour at Qasr Ibn
Saud, which is \ hour’s march from the town (about H miles). We reached
Murabbah (^f) at 5-10 p. m.
Bth November. Left camp at 5 A. m. and came within sight of Ain as
Suwaimi and halted for breakfast at
10-10 a.m. All day long passed through
g 0 °d camel pasture, now and then coming
on patches oi green. The depression appeared to extend about 7 or 10 miles to
t e west. Passed Qasr al Amar about 9-25 a. m. at a distance
°f H miles from the road to the west. Kasr al Wuthailan ( .HbJJ) (small
tihal bushes) a little further on. ^ " y J '
Started again at 1 p. m., having sent on Thami and Mirshid to inform
the Amir, Dakhilullah, of our arrival before sunset. Reached Ain al Juraifah
at about 4-40 p.m. A horseman came out to welcome us. We rode in with
him to the village coffee-room, just inside the fort gate, which faces north.
Ihisis a compact fortified village with several 2 -storied houses and
numerous square towers, all new looking and loopholed. There is a
palm garden with about 100 palms watered by the springs which flow through
it coming along on an underground channel from a distance of about 1 | miles
fc. b. K. of the village. Outside and north of the garden the water fills a ditch
with an easy slope in which camels are watered. While here our own camels
and those of the Shagrah caravan were watering and splashing about in the
lordlike ditch Had coffee and tea and then went to the Amir’s house and
had dates, with milk andgr^ee. Afterwards visited gardens. Dined with the Amir
in his house; usual boiled mutton and impure water. ‘Ali al Dhuwaihi w T ho had
been fasting all day, silly old man, now ate too much. He and I are always
placed side by side. :
6th November. Left about sunrise, 6-15 a.m. Marched first through the
Distance—169 hours, 26 minutes, miles. Ain es Sirrah depression to foot of
Tem p . 66, Bar. 3,260. Nufudh, which we reached after about 14
hours march. First | hour marched S. S. E. along the line of the springs. After
i^ours marching passed Am ibu Sakran (water from springs and extensive
g rdens). Halted at 10-25 a.m. in Nufudh ; very hot. The temperature this
morning down to 56 . Heard story of Bin Sdud’s treachery towards, and defeat
by, the Ajman.. Salman al Arafah whom I met at Buraidah was with the ‘Atman
at the time. Bm Situd had sent 2 men to the ‘Ajman in the afternoon to make
Lid?to attack r a“dusk Ut W ' 8 0 Ver P ei ' SUaded b y J ^i and his brother,
.41 at •? “the.afternoon and reached hollow in sands at sundown.
A du r^ijY bn H assim cheeky; went to strike my pony for trying to rob
dates. Told him to drop it and let pony alone. y s ioo
SH. Abemfte)’.-—Started at 6 a. m„ marched till 9 a, m. Had coffee. Left
Nutudh m 20 minutes and then came on hard, black, stony ridge, crossed stonv
plain till 1-55 P.M., when we re-entered red Nufudh. Good water at IS-ft.weU
Distance—177 hours, 50 minutes, miles. Called BiraS Sali ( Scilt 3 mpn rvPP
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