Page 720 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911_Neat

POLITICAL HESIDENCT FOB 2911.
118
One Muhammad Talat Misri .visited Kuwait on the 23rd March and
after a short stay left for Basrah. He was. an Egyptian and correspondent
0f the “ A1 Moayad,” a Cairo paper. Articles relating to Kuwait and the
Persian Gulf which had been appearing in the paper were evidently written
before his arrival in Kuwait and he seems to have come to 6ee their effect..
Shaikh Mubarak was not particularly pleased, for he did not give him the
usual present he bestows on other visiting correspondents.
Kapiton Lieutenant a. D. Bode, late of the Imperial German Navy,
who was'a passenger by the Arab steamer S. S. “‘Lawoc,**’ landed at Kuwait
on 10th October with the intention of seeing Shaikh Mobarak and continu­
ing his journey to Basrah overland. The Shaikh, who was asleep at the time,
could not see him before the ship sailed and Herr Bode therefore left in her
commenting on the Shaikh’s apparent want of courtesy. \
The Political Agent made an extended tour of 40 days in the hinterland
during. February and March. He
Toon and Visit! of British Officials.
marched south until he reached Anta’a
whence he went on to the camp of Salman bin Hamed and Ali bin Khali fa,
then in command of Shaikh Mubarak’s standing force in the desert. He
then marched three days S. W. and reached “ Bin Saud’s ,vcamp at Ellaimiya'
on the 6th March. He was received in the most friendly and hospitable'
manner by Abdul Aziz and his brothers and met many of the Ajman, Sabai’
and Al-Morrah Shaikhs in the camp. He remained with “ Bin Saud ” from
the 6th to the 9th, marching W. N. w. with him to Thaj, an interesting place'
with relics of a former civilization, probably Himyaritic. “ Bin Saud ” and
his brothers were all particularly friendly and hospitable and the Political
Agent much enjoyed the novel experience of travelling as an honoured guest
with the men who at the moment probably have most influence in Central1
Arabian affairs. On “ Bin Sand’s ” advice the Political Agent altered’ his-
tour as the country to the south was reported to be unsafe with marauding
Ateyba Bedouin taking advantage of Bin Saud’s absence so far north. He
reached A1 Haba wells on the 17th March, halted a day and proceeded N. E. i
He found the Suman tract not particularly easy travelling as the district is'a
succession of valleys' and' plateaux' interspersed with steep- hillocks; The*
going is rendered difficult by limestone rocks, chips and boulders. The
district was,, however, very green with new vegetation and would have been
magnificent grazing, ground but for the want of wells. Over 600 miles were
covered: before return to Kuwait, the greater part entirely unexplored, except
by Colonel Lewis Pelly in his march to Riadh.
The Political Resident visited Kuwait thrice during the year.
Captain S. G. Craufurd, D.S.O., Intelligence Officer, Jask,. visited
Kuwait during the first week of July.
Captain C. B. McConaghy, M.B., I.M.S., Residency Surgeon in the
Persian Gulf, arrived on 8th September to inspect the Agency Charitable
Dispensary.
The Political Agent visited Bus hi re in the Agency steam launch
Lewis Pelly ” in July, and His Majesty’s Consuls at Basrah and Moh am-
tocrah twice during the year.
Captain W. EL I. Shakespear, I.A., oontinued in charge of the Agency
during the year. He proceeded on
Politick Changes.
j. months’ privilege leave to India in Octo-
and returned to headquarters again in January. 1912.
W. H. I. SHAKESPEAR, Captain,
Political Agent, Kuwait.
Kuwait;
The ietk Marti 1911.