Mon. Oct. 13. [13 October 1919] Off at 7.45, Major Clayton seeing me
off. Crowded and tedious journey to Beyrut [Beyrouth (Beirut)]. No
one to meet me there. I went up to the Base Commandant's and after
much telephoning learnt that Major Barker was at the Hotel Royal.
Went there and found neither him nor a room. It was now night and the
atmosphere like a vapour bath. On to the Victoria, no room either.
Then to the Orient where they finally agreed to let me have a room for
the night. Met Captain O'Keefe and Captain - or Major - Murray and
heard that Captain Weald, I.O., to whom I had telephoned, had said
nothing about me. Anyhow I was lodged for the night. Dined at
Captain O'Keefe's table, rather to his annoyance. He says he takes
no interest in the affairs of this country. \n\nFaisal has lost ground in
Damascus [Dimashq (Esh Sham, Damas)] everyone says. Nuri
Sha'lan gets a subsidy of £2500 a month and Faisal won't or daren't
reduce it. Clayton has urged him to do so before {the} our subsidy
comes to an end, when he will not be able to pay it. They pay only the
tribes that may be useful to them, Ruwallah and Huwaitat, not a penny
to the Sukhur. [Note at top of page:] Clayton says that Ja'far
complains of Miswad al Qu'aishish, whose right habitat is Dair [Dayr
az Zawr]. Says he is bought by the French and asks to restrain him
from frequenting Aleppo [Halab] and those parts.