File 756/1917 Pt 1 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 1 to 65’ [‎520r] (1044/1240)

It appears from information obtained from a few prisoners
captured that food difficulties are considerable. Trains' pass
daily in spite of the cutting of the line, but they only carry
troops and no food. The majority of Arab troops, therefore,
and many Turks are anxious to desert, if only a way can be
found.
Aden Protectorate.
Haul into the Fadhli Country.
The Resident, Aden, reports that on April 18, when the
33rd Punjabis were in harbour awaiting naval escort to East
Africa, they were used for a landing at Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Bana in order to
raid Musemir in the Fadhli country. He appends an account of
the expedition by Captain Reilly, who accompanied it as
Assistant Political Officer.
I left Aden in the troopship 4 Purnea,’ on the afternoon
of April 18, with the force under the command of Major
Graham. I took with me Sultan Ahmed el-Mehdar and his slave.
Mohammed Marzuk. Mr. Ali Ibrahim accompanied me as
interpreter. We reached the shore near el-Kaud early next
morning, and 1 disembarked in the first boat from the ‘Purnea,
and proceeded at once to el-Kaud. I was. however, too late to
arrest Mohammed bin Abdullah and Salim bin Abdullah, whose
houses are at this village. The former has a dar into which I
went. He had left his women in it, but he himself was said to
have gone to the Fulesi country two days earlier. Salim bin
Abdullah had a “ Kutcha ” house. He had left that morning on
seeing the ships. Sultan Ahmed el-Mehdar was welcomed^ by
those villagers who were present, but the majority had fled. I he
Arabs reported that two camel sowars had left at dawn for Lahej
to report our arrival, and that the Fadhli Sultan s son, Abdullah
bin Husein, had gone personally to Ali Said Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to ask foi
assistance. The people said that the I urks had left their post at
Ba Sharara six days previously, and had gone to Harur, a party of
them having gone on to el-Raha. Sultan Husein was said to be at
Shukra. Salim bin Abdullah’s house was destroyed with the
assent of Sultan Ahmed el-Mehdar, who suggested that it would
be a good thing to destroy Ba Shahara also.
“ We then proceeded to Musemir, where we found that most
of the villagers had fled, but those who remained were friendly,
and the headman Ali Mansur (also called Ali Mohammed)
invited Major Graham and the officers into his house, as the
force rested here for a short time. Ali bin Ahmed, the radhli
Sultan’s son-in-law, whom I had instructions to arrest and
whose house is at this village, was said to have left that
morning with his family. While we were at Musemir information