مجموعة ٦/ ٩ "تقارير جدة يناير ١٩٣١ -" [ظ‎‎٣‎٢‎٦] (٨٠٢/٦٥٣)

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23. From Shanna they made an attempt to cross the Emptiest Eighth, the
350-mile wide, completely waterless, tract between Shanna and Sulaiyi!
(20° 25' N., 45° 30' E.). On the fifth day out, however, and about a third of the
way across the camels failed, and they had to make back to the nearest water,
Naifa, which they reached in another five days, on the 1st March, their water
giving out twelve hours before they came to the well.
24. At Naifa they rested and re-formed. Mr. Philby sent back to Riyadh
the fourteen weakest camels, three having died, with eight men and all tents and
other baggage. He made the second attempt westward light, with fifteen camels
and 10 men. On the tenth day. after 111 hours’ marching across completely
waterless sand and gravel, during which the camels received no water and picked
up practically no vegetation, the party reached Sulaiyil with two petrol-tins of
water in reserve. Thence they made their way leisurely by Bisha, Turaba and
Taif, to Mecca. Mr. Philby visited Jedda on the 6th April. He must have
covered some 1,500 miles in the ninety days’ outing, but showed remarkably little
sign of the strain. He has enough specimens and material to work on for a year,
but has first to answer the shower of well-deserved congratulatory telegrams and
offers, which has met him in Jedda from all parts of the world, including one
from Mr. Bertram Thomas.
Chapter TT.— Frontier Questions.
Transjordan.
Raiding.
25. No raids were reported to have been made during the quarter from
either side of the frontier, yet all was not quiet on the northern front.
Frontier Meetings.
26. It will be recalled that, after much diplomatic preparation in Jedda,
a series of meetings between the frontier representatives for the liquidation of
past raids and the settlement of future differences was arranged last April. The
preliminary meeting took place on the 3rd June, 1931, when contact was
established between Captain Glubb and Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Zeyd. The first
phase of the main meeting was not held until the 15th August; the Nejdi was then
quite unprepared, but agreed to return a little loot, while Captain Glubb feared
open rupture if they were to meet again and went on leave. At the end of
October, however, he invited the Sheikh to meet him again for the second phase.
He received a reply two months later and they met near Haditha on the
7th January. This meeting proved fruitless. The atmosphere was very friendly
and the two representatives quite old friends, but the Nejdi had no authority to
negotiate or compromise. Captain Glubb on his part declined to discuss the
1930-31 claims until the raid of the 28th September last was disposed of. They
failed to agree on this or any matter, except provisionally to meet again after
Ramadhan, mid-February. The legation is unaware that this or any other
meeting has been held.
H is Majesty's Minister's visit to Jerusalem.
27. In pursuance of a plan provisionally made in London while on leave
last autumn, but advanced somewhat by certain circumstances in Transjordan,
His Majesty’s Minister left Jedda on the 2nd February to visit His Majesty’s
High Commissioner for Transjordan. He spent the 12th and 13th at Amman,
where the following matters were discussed with the British Resident, who was
assisted by Mr. Kirkbride, Peake Pasha, and Captain Glubb :—
(1) The Atun section of the Huweytat, with special reference to—
(a) Their national status.
(b) Araif camels.
(c) The effects of the raid of the 28th September, 1931.
(d) Hejazi handling of the loot taken.
(2) The Beni Atiya—
(a) Their national status.
(b) The proposed refusal to them of access to Transjordan.