This move would have suited the Arabs excellently; but our army of Egypt was perturbed3 at the prospect4 of twenty-five thousand Anatolian troops, with far more than the usual artillery5 of a corps6, descending7 suddenly on the Beersheba front. Clayton, in his letter, told me the development was to be treated with the utmost concern, and every effort made to capture Medina, or to destroy the garrison8 when they came out. Newcombe was on the line, doing a vigorous demolition-series, so that the moment’s responsibility fell on me. I feared that little could be done in time, for the message was days old, and the evacuation timed to begin at once.
We told Feisal the frank position, and that Allied9 interests in this case demanded the sacrifice, or at least the postponement10 of immediate11 advantage to the Arabs. He rose, as ever, to a proposition of honour, and agreed instantly to do his best. We worked out our possible resources and arranged to move them into contact with the railway. Sherif Mastur, an honest, quiet old man, and Rasim, with tribesmen, mule-mounted infantry12, and a gun, were to proceed directly to Fagair, the first good water-base north of Wadi Ais, to hold up our first section of railway, from Abdulla’s area northward13.
Ali ibn el Hussein, from Jeida, would attack the next section of line northward from Mastur. We told ibn Mahanna to get close to El Ula, and watch it. We ordered Sherif Nasir to stay near Kalaat el Muadhdham, and keep his men in hand for an effort. I wrote asking Newcombe to come in for news. Old Mohammed Ali was to move from Dhaba to an oasis14 near Tebuk, so that if the evacuation got so far we should be ready. All our hundred and fifty miles of line would thus be beset15, while Feisal himself, at Wejh, stood ready to bring help to whatever sector16 most needed him.
My part was to go off to Abdulla in Wadi Ais, to find out why he had done nothing for two months, and to persuade him, if the Turks came out, to go straight at them. I hoped we might deter17 them from moving by making so many small raids on this lengthy18 line that traffic would be seriously disorganized, and the collection of the necessary food-dumps for the army at each main stage be impracticable. The Medina force, being short of animal transport, could carry little with them. Enver had instructed them to put guns and stores on trains; and to enclose these trains in their columns and march together up the railway. It was an unprecedented19 manoeuvre20, and if we gained ten days to get in place, and they then attempted anything so silly, we should have a chance of destroying them all.
Next day I left Wejh, ill and unfit for a long march, while Feisal in his haste and many preoccupations had chosen me a travelling party of queer fellows. There were four Rifaa and one Merawi Ju-heina as guides, and Arslan, a Syrian soldier-servant, who prepared bread and rice for me and acted besides as butt21 to the Arabs; four Ageyl, a Moor22, and an Ateibi, Suleiman. The camels, thin with the bad grazing of this dry Billi territory, would have to go slowly.
Delay after delay took place in our starting, until nine at night, and then we moved unwillingly23: but I was determined24 to get clear of Wejh somehow before morning. So we went four hours and slept. Next day we did two stages of five hours each, and camped at Abu Zereibat, in our old ground of the winter. The great pool had shrunk little in the two months, but was noticeably more salt. A few weeks later it was unfit to drink. A shallow well near by was said to afford tolerable water. I did not look for it, since boils on my back and heavy fever made painful the jolting25 of the camel, and I was tired.
Long before dawn we rode away, and having crossed Hamdh got confused in the broken surfaces of Agunna, an area of low hills. When day broke we recovered direction and went over a watershed26 steeply down into El Khubt, a hill-locked plain extending to the Sukhur, the granite27 bubbles of hills which had been prominent on our road up from Um Lejj. The ground was luxuriant with colocynth, whose runners and fruits looked festive28 in the early light. The Ju-heina said both leaves and stalks were excellent food for such horses as would eat them, and defended from thirst for many hours. The Ageyl said that the best aperient was to drink camel-milk from cups of the scooped-out rind. The Ateibi said that he was sufficiently29 moved if he just rubbed the juice of the fruit on the soles of his feet. The Moor Hamed said that the dried pith made good tinder. On one point however they were all agreed, that the whole plant was useless or poisonous as fodder30 for camels.
This talk carried us across the Khubt, a pleasant three miles, and through a low ridge31 into a second smaller section. We now saw that, of the Sukhur, two stood together to the north-east, great grey striated32 piles of volcanic33 rock, reddish coloured where protected from the burning of the sun and the bruising34 of sandy winds. The third Sakhara, which stood a little apart, was the bubble rock which had roused my curiosity. Seen from near by, it more resembled a huge football half-buried in the ground. It, too, was brown in colour. The south and east faces were quite smooth and unbroken, and its regular, domed35 head was polished and shining and had fine cracks running up and over it like stitched seams: altogether one of the strangest hills in Hejaz, a country of strange hills. We rode gently towards it, through a thin shower of rain which came slanting36 strangely and beautifully across the sunlight.
Our path took up between the Sakhara and the Sukhur by a narrow gorge37 with sandy floor and steep bare walls. Its head was rough. We had to scramble38 up shelves of coarse-faced stone, and along a great fault in the hill-side between two tilted39 red reefs of hard rock. The summit of the pass was a knife-edge, and from it we went down an encumbered40 gap, half-blocked by one fallen boulder41 which had been hammered over with the tribal42 marks of all the generations of men who had used this road. Afterwards there opened tree-grown spaces, collecting grounds in winter for the sheets of rain which poured off the glazed43 sides of the Sukhur. There were granite outcrops here and there, and a fine silver sand underfoot in the still damp water-channels. The drainage was towards Heiran.
We then entered a wild confusion of granite shards44, piled up haphazard45 into low mounds46, in and out of which we wandered any way we could find practicable going for our hesitating camels. Soon after noon this gave place to a broad wooded valley, up which we rode for an hour, till our troubles began again; for we had to dismount and lead our animals up a narrow hill-path with broken steps of rock so polished by long years of passing feet that they were dangerous in wet weather. They took us over a great shoulder of the hills and down among more small mounds and valleys, and afterwards by another rocky zigzag47 descent into a torrent-bed. This soon became too confined to admit the passage of laden48 camels, and the path left it to cling precariously49 to the hill-side with a cliff above and cliff below. After fifteen minutes of this we were glad to reach a high saddle on which former travellers had piled little cairns of commemoration and thankfulness. Of such a nature had been the road-side cairns of Masturah, on my first Arabian journey, from Rabegh to Feisal.
We stopped to add one to the number, and then rode down a sandy valley into Wadi Hanbag, a large, well-wooded tributary50 of Hamdh. After the broken country in which we had been prisoned for hours, the openness of Hanbag was refreshing51. Its clean white bed swept on northward through the trees in a fine curve under precipitous hills of red and brown, with views for a mile or two up and down its course. There were green weeds and grass growing on the lower sand-slopes of the tributary, and we stopped there for half an hour to let our starved camels eat the juicy, healthy stuff.
They had not so enjoyed themselves since Bir el Waheidi, and tore at it ravenously52, stowing it away unchewed inside them, pending53 a fit time for leisurely54 digestion55. We then crossed the valley to a great branch opposite our entry. This Wadi Eitan was also beautiful. Its shingle56 face, without loose rocks, was plentifully57 grown over with trees. On the right were low hills, on the left great heights called the Jidhwa, in parallel ridges58 of steep broken granite, very red now that the sun was setting amid massed cloud-banks of boding59 rain.
At last we camped, and when the camels were unloaded and driven out to pasture, I lay down under the rocks and rested. My body was very sore with headache and high fever, the accompaniments of a sharp attack of dysentery which had troubled me along the march and had laid me out twice that day in short fainting fits, when the more difficult parts of the climb had asked too much of my strength. Dysentery of this Arabian coast sort used to fall like a hammer blow, and crush its victims for a few hours, after which the extreme effects passed off; but it left men curiously60 tired, and subject for some weeks to sudden breaks of nerve.
My followers61 had been quarrelling all day; and while I was lying near the rocks a shot was fired. I paid no attention; for there were hares and birds in the valley; but a little later Suleiman roused me and made me follow him across the valley to an opposite bay in the rocks, where one of the Ageyl, a Boreida man, was lying stone dead with a bullet through his temples. The shot must have been fired from close by; because the skin was burnt about one wound. The remaining Ageyl were running frantically62 about; and when I asked what it was Ali, their head man, said that Hamed the Moor had done the murder. I suspected Suleiman, because of the feud63 between the Atban and Ageyl which had burned up in Yenbo and Wejh; but Ali assured me that Suleiman had been with him three hundred yards further up the valley gathering64 sticks when the shot was fired. I sent all out to search for Hamed, and crawled back to the baggage, feeling that it need not have happened this day of all days when I was in pain.
As I lay there I heard a rustle65, and opened my eyes slowly upon Hamed’s back as he stooped over his saddle-bags, which lay just beyond my rock. I covered him with a pistol and then spoke66. He had put down his rifle to lift the gear; and was at my mercy till the others came. We held a court at once; and after a while Hamed confessed that, he and Salem having had words, he had seen red and shot him suddenly. Our inquiry67 ended. The Ageyl, as relatives of the dead man, demanded blood for blood. The others supported them; and I tried vainly to talk the gentle Ali round. My head was aching with fever and I could not think; but hardly even in health, with all eloquence68, could I have begged Hamed off; for Salem had been a friendly fellow and his sudden murder a wanton crime.
Then rose up the horror which would make civilized69 man shun70 justice like a plague if he had not the needy71 to serve him as hangmen for wages. There were other Moroccans in our army; and to let the Ageyl kill one in feud meant reprisals72 by which our unity73 would have been endangered. It must be a formal execution, and at last, desperately74, I told Hamed that he must die for punishment, and laid the burden of his killing75 on myself. Perhaps they would count me not qualified76 for feud. At least no revenge could lie against my followers; for I was a stranger and kinless77.
I made him enter a narrow gully of the spur, a dank twilight78 place overgrown with weeds. Its sandy bed had been pitted by trickles79 of water down the cliffs in the late rain. At the end it shrank to a crack a few inches wide. The walls were vertical80. I stood in the entrance and gave him a few moments’ delay which he spent crying on the ground. Then I made him rise and shot him through the chest. He fell down on the weeds shrieking81, with the blood coming out in spurts82 over his clothes, and jerked about till he rolled nearly to where I was. I fired again, but was shaking so that I only broke his wrist. He went on calling out, less loudly, now lying on his back with his feet towards me, and I leant forward and shot him for the last time in the thick of his neck under the jaw83. His body shivered a little, and I called the Ageyl, who buried him in the gully where he was. Afterwards the wakeful night dragged over me, till, hours before dawn, I had the men up and made them load, in my longing84 to be set free of Wadi Kitan. They had to lift me into the saddle.
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1
emanating
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| v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的现在分词 )；产生，表现，显示 | |
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entrenched
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| adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
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perturbed
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| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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7
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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postponement
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| n.推迟 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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oasis
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| n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方 | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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sector
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| n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形 | |
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deter
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| vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住 | |
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lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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manoeuvre
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| n.策略，调动；v.用策略，调动 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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watershed
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| n.转折点，分水岭，分界线 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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festive
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| adj.欢宴的，节日的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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striated
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| adj.有纵线，条纹的 | |
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volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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bruising
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| adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式) | |
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35
domed
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| adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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38
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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encumbered
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| v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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tribal
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| adj.部族的，种族的 | |
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43
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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44
shards
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| n.（玻璃、金属或其他硬物的）尖利的碎片( shard的名词复数 ) | |
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45
haphazard
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| adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的 | |
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46
mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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47
zigzag
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| n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行 | |
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48
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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49
precariously
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| adv.不安全地；危险地；碰机会地；不稳定地 | |
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50
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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51
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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52
ravenously
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| adv.大嚼地，饥饿地 | |
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53
pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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54
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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55
digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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56
shingle
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| n.木瓦板；小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌)；v.用木瓦板盖（屋顶）；把（女子头发）剪短 | |
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57
plentifully
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| adv. 许多地，丰饶地 | |
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58
ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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59
boding
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| adj.凶兆的，先兆的n.凶兆，前兆，预感v.预示，预告，预言( bode的现在分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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63
feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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64
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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65
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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66
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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67
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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68
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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69
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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70
shun
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| vt.避开，回避，避免 | |
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71
needy
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
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72
reprisals
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| n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 ) | |
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73
unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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74
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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75
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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76
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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77
kinless
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| 无亲戚的 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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79
trickles
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| n.细流( trickle的名词复数 )；稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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80
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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81
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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82
spurts
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| 短暂而突然的活动或努力( spurt的名词复数 )； 突然奋起 | |
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83
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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84
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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