Tues March 7 [7 March 1911] At 5.30 Temp 61 Bar 29.6. Grey, less wind. We got off at 6, reached Umm el Gharraf at 9.15 and Nejef [Najaf, An] at 12. Got into our camping ground S of town at 12.30. A world of graves to N and W of town. We saw the dome almost from our camp. The head of the police appeared after lunch, Mahmud Effendi, and I went with him to call on the Major (Bimbashi) who is acting Kaimmakam. Then walked down the main bazaar towards the gate of the Hadr. A furious man jumped out of the crowd and asked me where I was going. We turned off and walked a little through the bazaars, dirty and dull. So home. The Bimbashi and the doctor came to call. They say the Seradib here are immensely deep, otherwise the people cd not live here in summer. All the drinking water comes from a birkeh, the wells are brackish. The birkeh is fed from the Hindiyeh [Shatt al Hindiyah]. Friction with the Govt at night because the Kaimmakam insisted on sending an encampment of soldiers to guard us. I protested with oaths and finally Mahmud Effendi, the chief of police, withdrew them. We saw nobody all night. Great shouting in the Makbarah over the graves and screaming of women.