"دليل الخليج. الجزء الأول. المواد التاريخية والسياسية. ملخص عن التوسع التركي على السواحل العربية للخليج العربي وشؤون الأحساء والقطيف" [‎٤‎٦] (١٦٠/٥٨)

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" Saood is still reporte to lie in possession of Riadh and Nejd Proper. The whereabouts
of Abdoollah is not distinctly known, but he is said to be not far from the capital, probably at
Kharij, to the south, aud it is said that the inhabitants of the country are endeavouring' to
bring about a reconciliation between the brothers with the view to their combining to get rid
of the Ottoman troops.
" It is to be apprehended that the position of these last is very precariou8.' ,
106. Colonel Felly's Moonsliee, writing in July, reported Abdullah to be
two days' march from Kiadh:—
,f Saood," he said, " has no money and has expenses. Abdoollah bin Feysul is now
located at a place called Akhremeh, two days' journey from Riadh, and has followers from the
Nejd countryj and is also in want of money. He was originally anxious to be friends with
his brother Saood ; but when letters from the parts of Bahrein informed him that the Turkish
army intended to establish him as Imam, he would not consent, and is wailing to see what
turn affairs will take, but was unable to get across to the Turks on account of the insecurity
of the roads." He added; "Fereck Pasha is now at Lahsa, aud is unable to move further on
account of the sickness, heat, and hot winds.
" It is said that if the people of Nejd join together, no one will be able to subdue them.
But now they are separated, some following Saood and some Abdoollah, and that to a certainly
their enemies will subdue them.
"At heart the people of Nejd do not like the sons of Feysul on account of their oppres
sion and unjust taxes, and on this account they are now ruined.
" Ibrahim Beg has a following of 800 Turks in Katif, and has ordered the streets to be
swept and watered. He has ordered bazaars to be established out of the fort. About 70
prostitutes from Baghdad were brought to Katif in the Snipe, and 80 wine sellers, and their
business is flourishing.
" People say if the Najdees be certain of these proceedings, they may join together and
fight the Turks, as the Wahabees do not consent to such acts,
" Some of the merchants of Katif have communicated these proceedings to the people
of Nejd, and they will know that the Turks are of another creed. They are now assured
that the intention of the Turks is to place Abdoollah bin Feysal as their Imam, and that their
religion will rule as before/'
167. The position of affairs in the beginning of August is thus described
by Colonel Pelly in his letter of the Mth of that month :—
" 1st. —The Turkish force is in occupation of the fertile district and ports of Lahsa; and the
question is being discussed between the Commander of the forces and the Turkish authorities
as to whether the Expedition should for the present remain at Lahsa, or whether constitutin»
Lahsa an intermediate base of operations^ the Expedition should advance into Nejd.
"2nd. —The Commander of the forces would seem to be in favour of halting where he is
at all events, until the weather cools and rain falls. The Turkish authorities, on the other
hand, would seem to be urging an advance, and contemplating an invasion of Nejd by a com
bined movement of the forces now in occupation of portions of the Arabian Littorals of the
Persian Gulf and Red Sea. Should this alleged combined operation be successfully carried into
effect it might have important results, and would seem to indicate an intention permanently to
occupy Peninsular Arabia as a Turkish province.
rf 3rd. —The Expedition appears to intend strengthening its sea base by the erection of forts
at Ojair and in the neighbourhood of Katif, while the line of communication between those
ports and Lahsa is to be secured by fortified posts at every caravan stage.
ft ^.—Arrangements appear to have been made for the occupation of Gwafctur. But
this region continues as yet in a distracted state, pressed on by the Turks, and harassed by the
Bedouins, who appear, at the instigation of Saood bin Feysul, to be marauding or aggressing
all along the southern flank of the Turkish line of communication.
"5^.—The respective positions of the contending brothers, Abdoollah and Saood bin
Feysul, do not seem to be certainly known. Neither seem to be in great force, while the
tribes and the inhabitants of the Capital Riadh appear to be a waiting either the imprisonment
or death of one of the aspirants."
168. On the 28th August, Colonel Pelly reported two fights between Ab
dullah and Sand. The latter was said to have been killed - and Saud wounded.
The Turkish Commander was becoming uneasy about his communication with
the coast and was calling for reinforcements, two or three hundred men had
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