"ملف 61/11 IV (D 77) مسائل متنوعة خاصة بالحجاز ونجد" [ظ‎أ‎‎١‎٤‎٦] (٣٦٦/٣٠٨)

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hand of) Ibn Suliman, for all His Majesty's purchases are made through him
I request your Excellency, therefore, to be good enough to hand him over to
Sheikh Ali Taha, Assistant Kaimakam of Jedda, so that he may be sent here
at an early date. Instructions have been given to him (Ali Taha) accordingly.
FEISUL.
Enclosure 2 in Xo. 1.
Sir .4. Ryan to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mecca.
Your Royal Highness, Jedda, Decemher 31, 1931.
(After compliments.)
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Royal Highnesss
note of the 26th December and to thank you for the measures taken to overcome
the objection at first raised by the local authorities at Jedda to the departure of
the Nigerian British subject, Harun.
I attach great importance to the case of the other man, Bakhit. I have
therefore personally examined him, and L enclose a statement showing his replies
to the questions put by me. The local authorities here evidently misunderstood
my difficulty in regarding this man as a Royal slave. It was not due to the mere
fact of his having passed through the hands of Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman, but
to the fact that he had apparently been for a prolonged period a member
of Sheikh Abdullah's household.
It seems to me that there may be some mistake as to thg, identity of Bakhit,
similar to that which arose last year when certain slaves who had taken refuge
in this Legation were erroneously confused with others who had disappeared
from the household of His Majesty the King. Even if there be no such confusion
in this case, it is of such a nature that I should find it difficult to surrender the
man to the local authorities, as your Royal Highness requests me to do, without
the sanction of my Government. I am prepared to obtain the views of the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if your Royal Highness wishes me to do
so, but, in view of the delicacy of the matter, I would suggest that I should first
take an opportunity of discussing it with Sheikh Fuad Hamza, if, as I hope, he
is likely to visit Jedda in the near future.
With highest respects,
ANDREW RYAN.
Principal Questions put to Bakhit by Sir A. Ryan on December 29, with his
Answers to them, and Supplementary Questions put in the course of the
Examination.
Question. What is your name ?
Answer. Bakhit, son of Muhammad.
Q. Where were you born ?
A. In the Sudan. I do not know in what place, but someone has told me
that I was born in Baghirma.
Q. What do you know about your father and mother and about their
religion ?
A. I was brought here so young that 1 know nothing about my parents.
Muhammad was the name of tlie man who brought me here. I know nothing
about my father and my mother and I do not know what their religion was.
Q. How did you come to the Hejaz?
A. I came from Suakin to Jedda in a steamer.
Q. Who brought you to the Hejaz ?
A. Muhammad brought me. I know nothing else about Muhammad.
Muhammad came from a place in the Sudan far from Khartum.
Q. At what season did you come ? Was it at pilgrimage time?
A. I came fifteen days before the pilgrimage time.