Page 319 - Neglected Arabia (1911-1915) Vol II

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Bin Saud’s tent was and wondered how long it would be before he
would have the courage and the inclination to show me the same hos­
pitality in Xejd that he had shown me to-day here.
This thought was still in my mind when [ went over to say good­
bye. Apparently it was in his. too. for he referred to the subject again :
without any prompting from me. “Without doubt we must have a :
good doctor.” he mentioned, and added: “A city without a doctor is :
in a very bad way.” I hastened to assure him that I would be ready
to come as soon as he said the word. “[ cannot ask you now.” he
replied, “but if God will—later on.” [ have since heard from one
of the prominent men of Kuweit that Bin Saud is afraid that if he
invites us to go into the interior he will be unable to protect us after
we have accepted his hospitality. There is still an enormous amount
of fanaticism in Xejd. and. furthermore, the Imam, or Chief Priest
of Riadh, is absolutely opposed to the coming of Christians. The
power of this Imam, Sheikh Abdallah by name, is absolute. Being
Bin Saud’s father he controls him to a very large extent. If what
one hears about him is true, he is a sort of Pope. Fortunately for
us Sheikh Abdallah is an old man, so that we can look forward to
a cessation of hostility from this quarter. Bin Saud himself wants us.
The spirit of the country is changing, though perhaps slowly, and the
occupation of Xejd is sure to come sooner or later. As I drove home
in the comparative cool of the evening the one thing in my mind was:
Plow soon? In former days one always queried: How long?