"كتيب الحجاز. أعده المكتب العربي في القاهرة." [‎٥‎٨] (١٩٨/٧٢)

— 58 —
Zeid, had been nominated by the Porte and arrived in
Medina on July 26, where he remained issuing proclamations
and trying to buy off the tribes. Towards the end of
October the Turks came a little forward to Bir Raha and
Bir 'Abbas, and sent a reconnoitring party down the Sultani
Road as far as Bir Ibn el-Hasani. On October 29 the
Emir assumed the title " Malik " {see p. 52). Early in
November his sons again took the offensive, 'Abdullah
going up the Darb esh-Sharqi, Feisal operating from Hamra,
and 'Ah pushing his front up to Bir Ibn el-Hasani; but the
lurks pushed Feisal back before the end of the month,
and early in December advanced again, having received
considerable reinforcements at Medina; on the lOth of the
month they were between Bir Sa'id and Yambo'' on the
one hand, and at Wasta on the other, and, after Sherif
h ^ d been surprised and put to flight near the latter
place, Feisal withdrew into Yambo' and the Turks occupied
all the wadi villages down to Nakhl Mubarak. By Christmas,
however they had retired again to Bir Sa'id and Hamra;
but on December 23, on a false report that the Subh Harb
had deserted, 'Ah and his force retired upon Rabugh.
Feisal meanwhile had emerged from Yambo' again, after
„ T 1 had been P llt int0 a state of defence, and
Abdullah established at Wadi Khanq, was in a position
o cu o the supplies which Medina had been drawing for
some time from Kuweit and Nejef, via Ha'il. On the Gaha
and Imra Roads the Turks withdrew somewhat, but
continued to occupy Wadi Safrah.
Early in December the King had come to Jiddah, and
f um f ^at he desired no auxiliary force landed
at Kabugh or elsewhere that was not Moslem, and his
policy was justified presently by a slackening of the Turkish
onensive. By the end of January 1917, Wadi Safrah had
een evacuated, and Ghayir remained the farthest point to
the southward held by the enemy in strength. This with
drawal had been due partly to successful raids made by
-tiaro clans on the line of communications, and by 'Abdullah