Thurs Feb 19 [19 February 1914] Mhailam nearly battal last night but
was persuaded that it was contrary to honour. I paid 'Awwad 1/2 a
mej. for Ghadi, shusheh for being let pass throught the 'Anazeh
country. The Shammar have not followed us to our camp, without a
farewell they have left us. It was cold with a bitter NW wind which blew
up clouds in the afternoon. I decided to take the road through the
jellad though there is some danger from Htaim; but I cannot bear any
more of the Nefud [Nafud, An]. This end of the Nefud is called al
Satihah. Nevertheless M al M [Muhammad al Ma'rawi] and Mhailam
were always heading off into it and I had to turn them back. From 10
AM onwards Mhailan tried to induce me to camp saying there was no
pasture below, arfej or anything. As I was walking on to get warm I
met a Shammari shepherd. He held up his right arm as I came near
and I held up mine and then gave him the salute. Where was I going?
Quddam. Who was with me? Shammar of the Sanad[?]. Whence
came I? From Dam. [Dimashq (Damascus, Esh Sham, Damas)] Ya
walad! said he. I took my first morning bearing onto al Rediffeh, the
big N. Dhullah of Misma' [Misma, Jibal]. We passed under it at 12.30
and saw Nejd [Najd]. An awful landscape, terrifying in its look of
extinction. The blackened sandstone crags of Misma drop steeply
on the E side; at their feet lie a wilderness of dhullan and gharamil,
planted in a barren sandy floor. The separate flat topped {peaks}
hills of Friddat stand behind and to the S., and behind them and to the
N the broken line of Habran. Over all scudded clouds borne by the
bitter wind. Between and across our path occasional lines of fantastic
dhullan and gharamil. "Like a city" said Ali "a ruined[?] city." And
Salim "It is Jehannum. We come from the jinnet at 'ard and this is
Jehannum. We marched straight on till 2.5, then finding the earth
ma'kul and wahl[?] (there was nothing but [space left blank] and eaten
grasses) we turned up and camped on the edges of the Nefud.
Mhailam said there was arfej below and we ought to have gone there
but I don't know - I think it wd have been ma'kul. A man by himself and
tentless in the khala is called khalawi. M al M once met a khalawi
under 'Irnan who had ..... for 3 days in search of tuttem[?]. The
Shammar have come! Shelweh announced them by ........ at my tent
door. The Arabs bring stones with them into the Nefud for their fires.
They say Bainakawa bainna[?] Allah.