[Un-numbered file] 'Diary of Colonel Hamilton's Visit to Nejd 1918' [‎81r] (161/206)

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Then went out into town and visited some shopSjSaw
a few Jibhoons and handkerchiefs,but, nothing of
good quality. Inspected camels and visited \bdul-
aziz and the Hamlah who have a house at the end o:
the Suk. Had coffee with the,. Saw Ali Al-Thowaihi
there,he referred to my leaving him in the lurch
when we came into Biadh. Poor old man he can’t
keep up any pace at all* After breakfast worked
till 1p.m. Slept half an hour and then went out
for a ride to one of Ameer’s gardens with Abdul-
aziz al Rabayi ( and 2 other horse-
men. Had coffee in the garden. Saw the splendid
well but water about 100 ft.below surface worked
by large donkeys working up and down a ramp on
both si des ( )• Cost of upkeep of well
about $200 p.m. Fruit trees of all sorts,chillies
and egg-plants. Rode back.
After supper with our company, the Mulla
and rest went off to prayers in the mosque in the
palace. I sat writing until it 8 p.m., when I went
over to Bin Saud’s private room and stayed till
10.25 discussing politics. Bin Baud told me of a
wonderful dream he had about the capture of
Damascus and it s destruction by him. He
that he thought with some help he and his tribes
could capture Damascus. I said that was a splen
did idea. Of course Hail and the Shammar stand in
the way. Ibn Rashid cannot be bought: of that
bin Saud is certain. Nor can he be brought over tc
our side because it is fundamental policy of Hail
and the Shammar to lean on the Turks, so as to
remain independent of Nejd,
November 15th . Attended Majlis in Bin Saud’s
office. Sat next to Faisal Ibn Rashid, r,e
fugitive beyond him was Ibn Faroon ( )
(Abu Hamdi as he is called) and his
nephew Hussa [I ) another nephew Saoii
( )