Notes relating to Lewis Pelly's Visit to Riyadh

Content

Notes relating to a range of subjects recorded during and after Lewis Pelly's journey to Riyadh to meet with Ameer Feysul [Amir Faisal ibn Turki al-Sa'ud] of the Nejd [Najd]. Topics covered in the notes include:

• Notes on observations made by William Gifford Palgrave on the Nedjed region and his sources for those observations (f. 7v)
• Record of places of antiquity that he visited and heard about enroute to Riyadh. These places include Thaj (which is an hellenistic archaeological site); El Griet (possibly El Grief) and Suddoos [Sudoos] (f. 12)
• Comments on the Wahabee [Wahhabi] sect and their relations with other sects (f. 17)
• Observations on Nejd horses and their colourings; also comments on El Murras and its camels (f. 17v)
• Observations on various towns visited during the journey, including their distances from other towns and any distinguishing features (f. 24)
• Accounts of anecdotal stories related to Pelly during the trip relating to a range of subjects including religion, politics, slavery and the rulers of Nejd (ff. 24-25)
• Notes on Pelly's second meeting with Ameer Feysul, including a list of the topics discussed and comments on the difficulties of establishing telegraph or post houses in Nejd. Notes also record an invitation to accompany the Ameer's [Amir] son Abdullah [Abdallah ibn Faisal ibn Turki] on an expedition to Mecca and the Ameer's [Amir] offer to allow Pelly to see his horses and choose two of the best as a gift
• Notes on the origins of the names of places in Nejd, descriptions of places that have been lost owing to the encroaching sands, and descriptions of geographical areas. [ff. 26-28]

There are a number of blank folios within the notes, which were intended to allow for additional information to be added on the various subjects. The blank folios are: ff. 8-11, 13-16, 18-23.

Extent and format

38 folios

It is part of

Miscellaneous Papers relating to Lewis Pelly's Service in the Persian Gulf and India

131 images

Ref: Mss Eur F126/65

Arrangement

The notes have been formed by folding a number of pieces of paper to form a booklet, the notes have then been written at different points within the booklet to allow space for additional information relating to each topic.

Physical characteristics

Watermark: Each sheet of paper bears the watermark 'G Millington, 1865'

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival item

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

Mss Eur F126/65, ff 7-44

History of this record

Date(s)

1865 (CE, Gregorian)

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Notes relating to Lewis Pelly's Visit to Riyadh, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/65, ff 7-44, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023832415.0x000002> [accessed 19 April 2024]

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