"ملف 61/6 مجلد 4 (D 34) ابن سعود وحركة الإخوان" [و‎‎٩‎٤] (٥٦٥/١٨٧)

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Iruit ancl felt quite at home. He rather disappointed us hy saying that
arrangements for our departure have not been completed, and we should not be
•able to start to-morrow, but will Lave to delay our departure till Saturday next.
Have rather anxious time. Wish we may not be too late for the Hajj.
Starry night, beautifully cool and calm with a li<rht dry Shimal wind.
70. Farhan Beg suggested that it would be convenient and desirable to
have provisions of our own for the journey and for use in Mecca. He also
pointed out that we should hav« to entertain Badu, etc., whom we might meet
on the way, and would also be spared trouble or unpleasantness with Ahmad
Thanaiyan and his party. He also pointed out with much emphasis that I
should be able to invite Badu head men and others who might happen to be
in or near our camps during the journey. I agreed and purchased all that
was necessary.
71. Thursday, loth Augusts 19th Dhil Qaaduh. —Wrote letters to
Bahrein. Am much depressed, feeling as if stranded here At 10 a.m ., Ibn
Shalhub called on us with Bin Sulaiman a katib (secretary) of Bin Sa'ud.
Latter wants medicine for his brother who is suffering from malarial fever
and bronchitis. I give him some quinine pills and a little chlorodyne which
is received very thankfully—almost as a boon—in the total absence of doctors
and medicines here. Ibn Shalhui) inquires about our requirements lor the
journey. We ask for 'two pairs of Mizwadas (bags) for carrying clothes
and other kit, as the ekdans (boxes) we have brought w ith us from Bahrein
are too bulky and inconvenient to be carried on the long journey to Mecca.
Offers tents but we have brought two with us from Bahrein. Arms are, he
• says, ordered to be supplied us as to all others going with us. After all, we
are to go armed, let us hope, for'show only.
72. At 8 p.m . Bin Sa'ud calls us to his private mejlis, and speaks, in the
some strain as before, against the Sharif, and the hopelessness of the proposed
endeavours to make peace or find a modus wcendi) etc. I thought this was
said preparatory to an excuse for still more delays or refusal to send even
a representative with a small number of Nejdis. I said that I did not know
how far the reports about King Hussein and his attitude of hostility to Bin
Sa'ud were true but, even if all what Bin Sa*ud had from time to time heard
and said on the subject were taken ior granted, it was only reasonable and
human to try and put an end to enmity.and ill-will, that it was His Britannic
Majesty's Government's oft-expressed desire that their two great friends Kinf»
Hussein and Bin Sa'ud should live in peace ; that both of them had expressed
their willingness to meet each other and discuss matters in a friendly way;
that after several alternate proposals, the present one had been put forward
by Bin Sa'ud himself and accepted by His Majesty's Government, and that
it was up to him to put it into action and thereby show T his readiness to
accommodate matters. I added that if this latest proposal of sending his
representative and a suitable number of Nejdis for the Hajj and for making
preliminary negotiations for peace was not acted upon by him, a very good
opportunity would be lost and i\iQ bond fide of bis intentions in the matter
could possibly be doubted, etc. As previously instructed. Shaikh Farhan
supported my above argument, and spoke with less ceremony saying that
Government had had too much of that game of shilly-shally, and had got tired
of the feuds and mutual recriminations Of King Hussain and Bin Saud and
there must be an end to that attitude ; that Colonel Wilson and Major Dickson
who were sincere friends find supporters of Bin Sa'ud would be disappointed
and displeased if h^ evaded the sSiution which must be pushed through ^ith
out any further delay and so on and so forth.
73. At last Bin Sa'ud shook off the last doubts or reluctance lingering in
his mind and definitely promised to send with us Ahmad Thanaiyan and as
many Nejdis as might be ready equipped for the journey. He fixed upon
Ahrrad Thanaiyan after discussing the pros and cons with us and said that his
first choice would be Bin Suwailim, the Amir of Qatif, but that he could not
be called up in time. Saturday, the 21st Dhil Qa'adah=:7th August, was
then fixed for our departure, and we thanked him heartily, took leave to
return to our quarters to find the big wooden bowl of fresh camel's milk
awaiting us, as usual before bed-time.
7ij. Friday, 6th August=20th Dhil Qa'adah. —Wrote letters and then
called on Sa'ud Bu Sharrain, the eldest son of Bin Sa'ud, whom we had met /
U31 F&PD