At last we re-entered Hamdh,at Kurna, and though
its clay bottoms held only mud, decided to camp. Our rebelswere not materials, like
soldiers, but friends of ours, trusting ourleadership.
To me an unnecessary action, or shot, orcasualty,
was not only waste but sin.
Seen from near by, it more resembled a huge
footballhalf-buried in the ground. The vexed Rabegh question died: and we had learnt
the first rules ofBeduin warfare.
Admiral Wemyss was as ready to help now as he had
been in ourhard days round Rabegh. He rose, as ever, to a proposition of honour,and
agreed instantly to do his best.
Feisal knew neither its terrain norits
tribes.
Nasir made a splendid impression, much as we had
heard, and much as wewere expecting of him.
SIR ARCHIBALD MURRAY BEGGED US TO PUTIN A SUSTAINED
ATTACK TO DESTROY THE RETREATING ENEMY.
The vexed Rabegh question died: and we had learnt
the first rules ofBeduin warfare.
This was the flood-water of Abu Zereibat,our
goal.
THINKING CONVINCED METHAT OUR RECENT PRACTICE HAD
BEEN BETTER THAN OUR THEORY. SO ON RECOVERY I DID LITTLE TO THE RAILWAY, BUT WENT
BACK TO WEJH WITHNOVEL IDEAS.
The contagion of their constant passagemade the
lukewarm Billi ever more profitable to us. We ordered Sherif Nasir to stay near
Kalaat el Muadhdham, andkeep his men in hand for an effort.
He never gave a partialdecision, nor a decision so
impracticably just that it must lead todisorder.
Then he handed the beasts back to their
Billiowners.
The great pool had shrunk little in the twomonths,
but was noticeably more salt. Now, I had not warned Feisal that Bremond was a
politician. OUR EXPERTS MADE PLANS FOR ATTACKING THEM. The Arabs had passed from
doubt to violent optimism, and were promisingexemplary service.
Feisal was vexed, and protested his inability to
understand so feeble aman.
Feisal carried most of this upon his own
shoulders.
To-day was cold: a hard northwind drove into our
faces down the grey coast.
It was as with the negroes, tom-tomplaying
themselves to red madness each night under the ridge. Feisal carried most of this
upon his own shoulders.
Beyond them the circle of Arabian well-wishers was
nowstrangely increased. His price was aBritish brigade for Rabegh; and we would not
pay it.
Another day a tent took fire, and part-roastedthree
of our guests.
Feisal carried most of this upon his own shoulders.
He began to enlarge on the nature of theground. We admiredneither their riding nor
their mares: perhaps because they were anuisance to us.
My vision of the course of the Arab war was still
purblind. In the morning, early, we marched in a straggle for three hours downWadi
Hamdh.
Ibn Dakhil in command obtained a quietregularity of
obedience.
Murray had given us two armoured-cars,
Rolls-Royces, released from thecampaign in East Africa. His headship had been
acquired by sheer force of character.