"ملف 61/6 مجلد 4 (D 34) ابن سعود وحركة الإخوان" [و‎‎٩‎٥] (٥٦٥/١٨٩)

he regarded like his father. The letter he was sending with Ahmad Thanaij'an
would be shown me before it was closed, and a copy sent to Major Dickson. It
was as friendly as be could possibly make it, and he was in addition instructing
his representative, Ahmad Thanaiyan, to be as conciliatory and accmmodating
in all respects as may be compatible with reason and propriety. He, then said
that he had ordered a " mahmil " (open box-like thing tied on a camel for ridini?
in) for me, as he feared that the ordinary " shidad " (camels saddle) riding would
be too much for me in that hot time of the year. I thanked him heartily and
then we said good-bye to this perfect gentleman and wise ruler at about
y-45 p.m . as he advised us to start at 4 a.m . next morning and to await
Ahmad Thanaiyan and his party in Daraiyah. The last words of the Imam to
me were very flattering : " I hope our friendship now made will always con
tinue to grow. If you possibly can try and come back this way, or at least send
Farhan with Ahmad Thanaiyan ", to which I replied, " In-sha-Allah, I shall
try and do so." We departed and went to our quarters. I felt as if I had
not sufficiently thanked the Imam for the great friendship, courtesy and regard
he had shown me, but Farhan had said quite a lot in the usual Arab way for
both of us.
80. At about 19 p.m . Bin Shalhub, with another brought us the arms :
one sword with golden work on scabbard and hilt, and one rifle (Turkish army
pattern 1331 = 1912) and one belt with 100 rounds a-piece for each of us.
81. Saturday, 7th Augu8t=2l8t Dhil Qa\i(iah. —Eise early about 4 p m.
and find seven horses and eight camels ready. After making necessary prepara
tions, assortment, loading, etc., started at 5 a.m . and went out of the town through
the north (Bin Suwailim) gate. Farhan and myself rode on horses, and the re
maining five horses were ridden by five of Bin Sa'ud's slaves—strong, bearty lads.
My two servants Ibrahim and Ghazi and Farhan's servant Hamad, each rode
a camel—cbmparatively heavier beasts which in addition carried our kit, a fourth
camel was under our / coffee-boy Abdur Hahman (Dahaim) bin Musaid bin
Mubarak Ad-Dosari of Kharaj, the fifth carried the mahmil, counterbalanced
by two bags of my kit, the sixth was ridden by Sa'aid, a Shammari Arab. He
was our whole-time attendant in Riyadh and was useful in giving me inform
ation. He was one of the Arab irregulars who had served the Turkish forces in
the Hejaz, had become a prisoner in the Tarrabah affair, or rather joined the
victorious Akhwan incognito, came down to Riyadh, where he married and
settled down as one of Bin Sa'ud's personal attendants. The remaining two
camels, excellent, light " Omaniyat " were going along fully equipped with
beautiful " shidads " (saddles) and trappings to carry us onwards from Darai
yah for the Imam had thought it rather unsafe to ride these from the very
outset, they having been grazing out for a long time without being ridden on.
82. When this little train of men andfiften beasts was about to pass out of
the gate, one Abdur Rahman, an elderly man came up nearer, and salaamed us
in the correct Arab fashion. This surprised me, as it was the first " Salaam-o-
Alaikum " (salutation) uttered for us in or near Riyadh,lio one having done
so at all nor even replied to our own salaams, wnich I always took care to
say first (as a Moslem is commanded to do) whenever passing by any Arabs.
Farhan often quarrelled with me for " wasting salaams " on those who did not
care to receive or reply to them but, on the contrary turned away their faces, or '
muttered half-audible curses. Sa'aid told me that this man was a distant relation
of Bin Sa'ud's and had been to Mecca twice at the head of the Neid pilgrimages.
As we passed along we wished us God-speed, and declared emphatically that
time was very short and we should b6 very fortunate if we succeeded in catch
ing the Hajj.
88.- The road, a common route, passes through beautiful gardens on both
sides and then lies over rocky ground for some miles. The gardens are enclosed
in mud walls ranging from six to ten feet or more in height. A few miles out
are to be seen half a dozen wells scattered about north and west of Riyadh.
These are used for the irrigation of wheat, barley, etc., which is grown here to
«ome extent, though the chief grain supply is from Kharaj and its neighbour
hood.