[Un-numbered file] 'Diary of Colonel Hamilton's Visit to Nejd 1918' [‎31r] (61/206)

5
Distance—73 hours, 30 minutes.
Bar. 2,680'.
miles.
21st OcZo&er.—Started at 3-25 a.m., and chose nice little hollow with grazing
at about 9-25 a.m. We ate dried gazelle
of which we had bought 27 carcasses from
the Saluhis at Al-Gara’a. We paid 2
dollars per carcass. Lately there was a lot of unnecessary talk about the
march, and continuing with, or leaving, the caravan, the proper time to start or
to halt, everyone having his own, and a different, idea on these points. I deter
mined, therefore, to take charge myself and have no more argument or advice.
Sooner or later every traveller is compelled to do the same, however slight may
be his experience of f ravel in Arabia ; otherwise, there are disputes from which
all sorts of little troubles arise. The result of my taking charge as caravan
leader has, so far, been satisfactory. We had a good 3 or 4 hours’ march before
daylight and the camels carme on gaily all the way.
Marched from 2-15 p.m. to 8-45 p.m. ; met small body of Shammars, taking
goods to Artawiyah. They collided with us on our route at night and there
was a lot of drawing rifles and very nearly a row until we separated. Marched
1 hour into the Dahanah.
22ncl Marched from 4-45 a.m. till 11-15 a.m. ; halted
Distarce —85 hours, 5 minutes, mii es . in the third intervening valley since
entering the Dahanah. The Dahanah has
7 ridges with intervening valleys of clay and mostly thickly covered with
shrubs and grass. Came in sight of huge sandhills at dawn, That on the
right is called the mutawah (overseer). People are said to hear the echo of the
call to prayer by a ghostly mutawah there at dawn.
Plies so bad that it is almost impossible to write. Started again at 3-15
p.m., halted 40 minutes for food and prayers at sunset, and then on till 9 p.m.
Ghunaim, our Mutair, had forgotten the way so we did not press on to the
water.
23rd October .—At 5-30 a.m. just before daylight sent Ghunaim and Ibn
Distauce 95 hours 5 minutes, 260 miles. Duhaiman on to the wells at Gaiyiyah.
VY e followed and got there about 9-15 a.m.
Our caravan very tired after yesterday’s ploughing through the sand ridges
that constitute the Dahanah. The guides made Gaiyiyah instead of Dujani as
had been our intention. We found plenty of sheep. There are 20 wells,
the water is cool and sweet—quite the best we have had since Sirrah. It is
about 54 ff. from the surface to the water. Large flocks of sheep and some
herds of camels were watering when wn arrived. ‘Alial Dbuwaihi brought
me coffee as usual shortly after arrival.
%
General compass direction from Kuwait to Al-Gara’a—210 ,
Al-Gara’a to Gaiyiyah—220°.
Was visited at Gaiyiyah by Al-Dawish Shaikhs of the Mutair. They
begged for presents. I gave away 2 cloaks, having very few presents with me.
Got away at about 3-15 p.m. and marched till sunset. Riddan ibn Watwan
followed us to our camp. He wished to return to Gaiyiyah after supper but I
(declined to allow him to depart before the morning as the reason for his follow
ing us up was not quite clear. Set sentries as about 10 days ago a caravan of
Awadhim returning from the Haj were attacked by Ataibah robbers and 7 men
and some women murdered and some camels stolen. No regular watch had
been kept hitherto.
Distance—104 hours, 40 minutes.
Temp. 60°, Bar. 3,290'.
miles.
24:th October .— Started at 5-50 a.m., halted at 12-25 p.m., passed deep
depression running S. S. W. wirh high ridge
on the north side. The ridge is said to run
as far as Tumair beyond Majmah. Pound
many wells in depression, good, sweet water, at about 12 ft. below surface.
Several thousands of sheep watering. Albatarah ( ) is the name
of this series of wells which are sunk at intervals all along this deep depression,
wfliich becomes almost a gorge here with steep cliffs on either side, that on
the north being about 180 ft. above the level of the valley. This stony
country took us about 3-| hours to negotiate going slow. To-day we spent
| an hour making coffee en route.
45 P. & P. D.