Miscellaneous reports and correspondence relating to Kuwait [‎26r] (51/87)

been out of keeping with the general outside and inside designs. I never
saw a plumb line outside or inside nor any striving after balancing or
matching things.
'Aoaizah is like a gem roughly cut by the hands of some barbarian
workman ; yet the result is such that one would on no account have the
gem recut in modern fashion even were that possible.
Abdullah al Hamad came after sunset to bid me good-bye. He is a nice fellow
3rd November, —Marched at 6-55 a. m . and halted at 10-5 a . m . Sent on
Mutlaq al Naimi (Mutair, sent by Turki)
Distance 146 hours, 10 minutes, mile.. ^ Muhammad ibn DahabaS,
to convey a letter to the Shaikh of Mudhnib, Fahad Agaili, informing him of
our intended arrival at the town to-morrow at daylight.
Our general direction to-day was S. S. E. over hard ground, stony, with
very little vegetation for the most part ; our landmarks, two cliffs on the right
of the road, from which it is said to descend direct on to the palms of Al-Mudh
nib. Prom our halting-place through a gap on the left of the road to Mudhnib
(N. E.) saw a depression with palms which are said to be Aziziyah village.
Last night c Ali al Dhuwaihi, who is continuing along with us to Eiadh,
said he had high fever and might not be able to start next day. He had,
however, recovered sufficiently to travel to-rlay. We are taking it pretty easy
and the weather is delightfully fresh. Started at 2-55 p. m . and pulled up at
4-55 p. m . as we did not wish to reach Mudhnib before morning. We got
to within about 2 hours' distance of Al-Mudhnib and camped in a hollow with
sparse arfaj and other grazing shrubs for camels.
4th November. —Started at 3-10' a. m . and got to a place near Mudhnib
marching still over undulating, stony
,miCS " giouud ; waited for sunrise and then
started to town and met 2 riders sent
out by the Amir to meet us. We went to his place and there had tea and
coffee. The coffee-hall was a long, darkish room with a large firepit at one
end, in which stood 8 or 9 large coffee-pots. As usual, plenty of carpets and
a cushioned corner to the right of the hearth looking down the hall. Con
versation for about an hour, and then went off to our camp to dress and
wash. Some talk about Shakespear, who passed through here in the spring
of 1912 when returning from Kiadh. The Amir tells me that Bin Saud makes
this a regular halt when passing backwards and forwards to Qasim. The
route by the Mistawi is more even going and better for camels as far as
grazing is concerned, but this way " through the villages as they say, is
nearer and has the great advantage of plenty of water at short stages, and
supplies. But if I return I shall go by the Mistawi. One marches better in
the desert ; these villages lead to lounging and general carelessness in one's
followers. As for safety there is not much to choose between the two for a
small party. A large party, say of 20 riders, would, however, be absolutely
safe by this route and not so by the desert way. Tribes have to be feared on
the Mistawi and robbers in Woshm.
Mudhnib is more like an "Indian village than an Arab one. The soil is
all clay and absolutely flat ; there is no trace of sand anywhere. Large
standing fields of millet and barley ; gardens scattered around. The
village is not fortified but has a single qasr. I am told that they have no
enemies to fear. Over 100 of the inhabitants have gone to the Hijaz to
iake service under the Sherif.
Eahad ibn 'Abdul Karim is a charming personality. He is about 40
years of age, has been 25 years Amir of the place, succeeding his father as a
lad of 15. He has never travelled. There are 30 houses of Agail, mostly
Beni Tamim stock. One fort in town ; villages surround the town to a
distance of 2 miles. The population under 3,000. I offered the Amir a present
of a smart aba and 70 dollars, but he absolutely refused to take anything,
saying that as the faithful servant of Bin Saud he could not do so without the
latter's permission. This is unusual, I think, as both the Amir of Zilfi and
Abbas al Ealaji accepted the 70 dollars which I gave them. I forgot, perhaps, to
mention that the whole party with me, including men from Kuwait aad