At the height of the crisisthe Beni Ali broke; and
the Arabs were thrust out beyond the walls. The guide had to answer to a sentimental
public with his Me for that ofhis fellow. Lake a cloud it hid hisdecision of
character, his worldly wisdom, his cheerful strength. They were derided;and the
Arabs ran back again into the defiles. Did yousee how Mohsin raged when Ali beat
him? Our way took us through the central village and its market street. Inthe first
dark as the supper fires were lighted we rode down its wideopen street and halted.
He was now a fugitive, living in the hills tothe East, and was known to be in touch
with the Turks. Along this we held our waytill sunset, when we came into sight of
the hamlet of Bir el Sheikh.
However, Tafas grudged his company, and gave
himshort answers. Bitterly he complained that they were in every way
ill-equipped.
Sherif Hussein saw to it that the education was
general andgood.
Pilgrims had built cairns here by the road. The
armament of the Turksmade them so superior at long range that the Arabs never got to
grips. Later some Japanese rifles, most of them broken, were received. The servant
came up to say dismally, They will not let me. This explained the presence of Nafi
Bey and his units.
At last he inquired softly how I hadfound the
journey.
So they pretended to be master and servant from
Mecca.
Tafas was a Hazimi, of the Beni Salem branch of
Harb, and so not ongood terms with the Masruh.
TheArabs seemed hostile to the material blessings
of civilization ratherthan appreciative of them. Iunderstood less of this than he,
and parried inconsequentially. Quite close to the north bank of the Masturah, we
found the well.
This explained the presence of Nafi Bey and his
units.
In the centre, where the road passed, had been
twosmall enclosures like pounds. At last Ali went down to Rabegh to inquire what was
wrong with theorganization.
My Lord, you saw those two riders at the well?