Ali was dressedgarishly, and rode a tall
camel.
CHAPTER XVIIClayton a few days later told me to
return to Arabia and Feisal.
It grew very cold asthe damp of the valley rose
through the carpet and soaked our clothes. Incidentally he taught me to be familiar
with high explosive. Theybegan to be polite to me, and to say that I was observant,
with apungent style, and character. IREACHED FEISALS CAMP ON THE DAY THE TURKS
CARRIED THE DEFENCES OFJEBEL SUBH.
I wastravel-stained and had no baggage with me. Ali
was dressedgarishly, and rode a tall camel.
Then he opened fire on Bruka with his own
twofifteen-pounders.
Inthe evening he relaxed as far as possible and
avoided avoidable work.
Feisal had nearly two thousand men with him, but
none of theJuheina tribesmen.
The routine of our life in camp was simple. On the
south bank of this valley,beneath some rocky knolls, Feisal pitched his two plain
tents. Feisal did notsleep till very late, and never betrayed a wish to hasten our
going.
There were about eight hundred of them, quiet, but
in no other waymortified by their shame.
Garland was an enquirer inphysics, and had years of
practical knowledge of explosives.
Sherif Abdulla had at last left Mecca, on November
the twelfth.
However, at last the SUVA appeared, with Captain
Boyle,who took me back to Jidda. Feisal wasnot a whit dismayed, but threw out the
Juheina on his left to work downthe great valley. Egypt was, as usual, in the throes
of a Rabegh question.
The matter of the stores in the Yenbo base was
being well bandied.
So in a little while wewere populous, if hardly
imposing in detail.
Feisal with a gaspingstare at him said,
How?
Afterwards he would sit again in the reception tent
till hehad finished with all who wanted him. On the south bank of this
valley,beneath some rocky knolls, Feisal pitched his two plain tents.
So in a little while wewere populous, if hardly
imposing in detail.
God be praised, said Feisal gravely,that it was
neither butter nor bags of gold. In Port Sudan we saw two British officers of the
Egyptian Army waitingto embark for Rabegh. This extreme patience was a further
lessonto me of what native headship in Arabia meant.
The others had fallen back up WadiYenbo for
water.
Sherif Abdulla had at last left Mecca, on November
the twelfth. After a short fight,Feisal had broken off, yielded his ground, and was
retreating here.
Inthe evening he relaxed as far as possible and
avoided avoidable work.