'File X/3 Disorders & Raids near Basra & in Koweit [Kuwait] Hinterland' [‎30v] (60/303)

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manner. Sand and Sa’ad, the next two brothers in point of age, are about 25,
the former being Abdul Aziz’s full brother, very fair for an Arab and of pleasant
address. Abdulla, the youngest, is only about 15 years of age.
6. All struck me as particularly intelligent, and Abdul Aziz as a broad-minded,
ai straight ” man, who could probably be trusted further than most Arabs. His
reputation amongst Arabs is that of a noble, generous and just man who does
not descend to mean actions. The deference paid by him to Shaikh Mubarak
was remarkable and though partly due by Arab etiquette to the latter’s age and
position as host may also have been induced by the many proofs of his wealth and
lavish generosity.
7. Abdul Aziz did not discuss politics with me beyond remarking that he
thanked God there were no Turks nearer to his capital than those in El Hasa, and
that the English as the friends and brothers of Mubarak-as-Subah were thereby his
friends and brothers. He had often heard Colonel Felly’s visit to Riadh spoken of,
but had never seen a white man in the place nor in fact ever in his life before the
present occasion. He offered me a welcome should I ever contemplate a tour so
far afield as Riadh.
8. Previous to Bin Saud's departure the Ajman Shaikhs against whom the pre
sent expedition was originally planned by Shaikh Mubarak as retribution for a
series of raids on Kuwait camels, made their submission and it is said that through
Abdul Aziz’s good offices Shaikh Mubarak has forgiven the Ajman their depre
dations, and in their turn they have now placed their fighting men at his disposal
for the impending campaign.
9. The Wahabi princes left Kuwait on the 4th March to rejoin their camp
which was to have moved on the 7th March from a day south of Kuwait to join
forces with Shaikh Mubarak’s Contingent preparatory to a combined campaign.
10. Shaikh Mubarak informed me that his force was intended to punish one
of the Thaffir Shaikhs who joined Shaikh Sadunofthe Muntifich in a recent small
raid. Another rumour from the bazar has it that the present expedition is be
ing made at the suggestion of the Wali of Basra, who recently met the Shaikh at Fao,
and, if there is any truth in this, which I doubt, it would appear that the Turkish
authorities having realized their inability either to collect revenue from the Munti
fich or to punish their contumacy, have resorted to the expedient of setting a
Bedouin to catch a Bedouin. Neither of these objects would require more than
2,000 or 3,000 men for its effective conclusion. It is exceedingly difficult to estimate
the numbers now gathered at Jahra, but I may mention that Shaikh Mubarak said
to me in conversation that he had some 6,000 to 8,000 men collected and Bin Saud
as many more. I believe these numbers to be greatly exaggerated though it is a
fact that the combined forces contain very strong contingents from the following
tribes:—Ajman, Umtair, Awazim, Bani Hajir, Bani Khalid, A1 Morrah, Ateyba,
Sbi’a, Kahtan, at-Towata, the whole of the Kuwait Araibdar and the personal follow
ers of the Bin Saud and Bin Subah families. The estimates of the various tribal
Shaikhs who have lately visited me, though notoriously unreliable, all put the num
ber of horsemen at between 2,500 and 3,500, with the thaluls (riding-camels)
“ without number as grains of sand.” It is probable that the camelry number
quite 8,000 to 9,000 . The demand for equipment has been such that the price of
an average thalul has risen by quite 25 per cent., that there is hardly a single
article of camel-equipment or clothing to be had in the usually well-stocked bazars,
and the prices of arms, ammunition, rice, coffee and other commodities have all
advanced. All merchants, boat-owners, shopkeepers, etc., have been laid under
heavy contributions in money or goods, and it is said that the desert from A1 Hasa
northwards is destitute of fighting men, whilst numbers continue to come in from
the more distant grazing grounds further west.
11. Nothing on the scale of the present expedition has been planned since that
which ended in the disaster of Sarif in 1901. Gossip is now coming to the con
clusion that though the expedition may exact retribution from the Thaffir Shaikhs
and Shaikh Sadun for their small raids, it is probably intended against the Shammar
and Ibn Rashid. This opinion is surmise founded on the good ground that no
force approaching the present in strength has been raised either by Mubarak or Bin
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