"ملف 61/6 مجلد 4 (D 34) ابن سعود وحركة الإخوان" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٢] (٥٦٥/٢٠٤)

(1) For purposes of calculating distances marched daily, it may be taken
that each mavch consisted of a full dny's journey of 10 hours at walking pace
of a riding camel, i.e., about 30 miles per day.
(2) It will be noticed that the return journey of the mission was by a
slightly different route to that taken on the outward or westward, journey
a month earlier, and, whereas the journey from Eiyadh to Mecca was done in
the remarkable time of 15 days (see Khan Sahib Syed Siddiq Hasan's report),
the return journey of the same distance was covered in 23 days
B
List of Shaikhs of Ataibah, Bugum, Sabia, etc., who have deserted the
Hejaz for Nejd. (See appendix A. F.)
C
List of Al-Murrah Shaikhs and names of Sections of the tribe. (See
appendix G,)
D
Geneeal Observations oe Individuals and Politics in Mecca.
(1) King Hvssain. — Short, thick-set, well -covered, very white face, lool\S
about 65 years of age. Wears a turban and long jubbah. Courteous on fiist
receiving members of mission. Soon, however, showed his real nature. A man
of violent and uncontrollable temper. Rages against Bin Sa^ud at all times
and seasons w ith the rage of a weak, neurasthenic old man.
Just before we, the Nejd Mission, were taken into King Hussain's presence,
the Sharif 'Abdullah made apology on his behalf saying : " I pray you make
every allowance and don't contradict the old man (al-shaib) ; you N^ill find him
quite impossible with a 'head of wood ', 'rasu mithl al khashab.' "
To my mind King Hussain is violently anti-English, though I know
Syed Siddiq Hasan does not quite agree with me. {tefore people, and especially
before the members of the mission, the King pretended that the British
Government were his friends and supporters, but in private nothing is too bad
for them. He continually denounced the English for their deceit and double
dealing; especially did he show bitterness over Sir Henry MacMahon's so-
y called premises to him. King Hussein in one of his outbursts held out his arm
and bared his wrist and said : 44 The English have encircled Arabia with a band
of steel just as a bracelet would encircle my arm He gripped his left wrist
with his right band to bring home his simile. In my opinion King Hussein
certainly deeply engaged in a wide propaganda to put Moslems generally against
the English and Europeans. This bears out what Bin Sa'ud told me in Riyadh
later and, which 1 believe he has long been trying to explain to His Majesty's
Government.
King Hussein's opinions of Sir Percy Gox are the reverse of friendly while
he makes no seeret of his hatred of" the very name of Philby. He firmly re
fused to believe that Sir Percy Cox was* returning to Mesopotamia. " If he tries
to do so I, Hussein, will prevent him ", he said (Ana ma akhalli) " Minhu hal
Coxus Mocus wa hai Philby Milby ", he burst out in wrath on several occa-»
sions : " Both are the greatest entmies of the Arab race
Again a^ d again he accused His Majesty's Government of sowing discord
among the Arab peoples. "If it were not for the English ", fie said, u I,
Eussein, should now be ruler of all Arab-speaking racts. It was England's
way, however, to first make use of me, and then to throw me over ensuring
that a ui'ed Arab nation was an impossibility ". " Who was Bin Sa'ud but a
petty Amir who had set himself up with English gold.'* (This was, said not
in Ahmad bin Thanaiyan's presence). " Bin Sa'ud used to receive £3,000 per
month from me. Because 1 stopped it, Bin Sa'ud has started all this trouble.
If I gave it Mm again, he would lick my sandals."
Tftis arrl Tuch more in the same strain was the fype of conversation I was
regaled w ith. 1 had several private talks with King Hussein I might mention.