Of the locomotive,the fire-box was torn open,
and many tubes burst.
After a fewminutes we became cool, and
wise-headed enough to ride off after theothers. My sergeants asked me for a
sword each, as souvenir of their firstprivate battle. We also kicked northward
some dozencivilians, who had thought they were going to Medina.
There we lay down and slept, and in the
morning foundourselves happily tired.
In the next four months our experts from Akaba
destroyed seventeenlocomotives. When at last it came, Jemals great attack on
Wadi Musa made no noise.
At last we were in the tall bushes: then we
shouted.
They never again attacked a prepared Arab
position.
Dawnay was not the man to fight a straight
battle. However, they could pay the penalty of thischeerfully. Not often was I
caught with so poor a shield as blindSherif Aid.
Cab and tender were twisted into strips, among
the piledstones of the bridge abutment. We broke up into little parties and
struggled north.
So far as could be seen in the excitement, our
side had suffered noloss. These decisions were arrived at despite my imperfect
knowledge ofArabic.
They would listen to no word but mine, and
brought me their troublesfor judgement.
The bullet hadcome out near his spine,
without, in their judgement, hurting himmortally.
Travelling became an uncertain terror for the
enemy.
A Turkish colonel from the windowfired at me
with a Mauser pistol, cutting the flesh of my hip.
Travelling became an uncertain terror for the
enemy.
We reached the well in three hours and watered
without mishap. A flame flickered palely on the left, and we found Musa
ourwatchman there.