The British at Akaba calledthem cut-throats; but
they cut throats only to my order.
Unhappily the British supply staffrealized too late
that we were fighting in a little Alp.
Yet in compensation stood my energy
ofmotive.
For three successive dayscame falls of snow. The
Howeitat spread out along the cliffs to return the peasants fire. As time went on
they not only increased the generalfigure, but made a special bid for
me.
By good fortune three or four ofthis sort joined me
at the first, setting a tone and standard. I left it, climbing straight up the
cliffs.
The practice of our revolt fortified thenihilist
attitude in me. Nuri Said had artificial tastes, and rescued tinned meats and
liquorsfrom the wilder men.
Therebythe situation of Medina, already bad, became
hopeless.
So they shot up at Nasir astream of ill-directed
bullets. This talk left us a clear course of operations.
For years before the war I had mademyself trim by
constant carelessness. Nuri Said had artificial tastes, and rescued tinned meats and
liquorsfrom the wilder men. Webought at long prices the fastest and strongest camels
to be obtained.
So our reconnaissance had been a quickand easy
success.
The Howeitat spread out along the cliffs to return
the peasants fire. Theenlightened heads of the Muhaisin had to go as forced guests
toFeisals tent. Nearly two hundred Turks, including seven officers,survived as our
prisoners. Thence it turned eastward, to wind lengthily in the valley to
thecrest.
After this raid the weather once more
broke.
The Howeitat spread out along the cliffs to return
the peasants fire.
Our ears told us what was happening aswell as if we
saw it, and the news was excellent.
By dusk hehad driven them back, and was upon
us.
He had been sent out by the Turksto explore the
station. Across the sandy neck from the first flat to the second we built acorduroy
road of brushwood.
He gave me leisure in which to study the coming
battlefield.