Page 293 - PERSIAN 8 1931_1940_Neat

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2. There were no Bedouin incidents worth recording such ns raids, etc.
STteb1*

{■.'■oatlj ji/itslavutcd by the smldan influx from Saudi Arabia of thu grnat Awa/.im
lr.be ini., Kuwait, ns well as or strong details of the Muteir, 5„,.i Kl.alid,
♦Shummar, lvushaida, Adwan and Zab tribes.
4. These new arrivals with their enormous herds of camels literally spread
themselves like locusts over the whole country side and ate up everythin"- lhat
could be lound. °
5. Actually the new arrivals entered Kuwait pnrtlv because lack of gra/in*
drove them to look for fresh pastures, but mainly because it was anticipated Ilia”
Bin baud would be beaten in the Yemen, and as chaos and raiding would then
be the order of tho day, those having large camel herds hoped to get protection
and salety within the Kuwait borders.
G. The above unwelcome visitors left Kuwait in Afay and June, but no
grazing remained for the Kuwait nomads with the result that there was a very
serious grazing famine in the Summer aud Autumn of 1934. The like had not
been seen for years, it was s/iid.
7. At a conservative estimate some 1,000 Kuwait camels perished of
starvation, several hundred others gave premature birth to still born calves,
and some 5,000 sheep died.
8. Those few who could afford it, kept their animals alive on barley, hut. the
poorer class of bedouin owning 3 or 4 camels and a dozen sheep apiece, lost
nearly all their stock.
9. Belief came in November with the advent of the rainy season, but as grass
only came up in December and then very sparsely, due to ihe cold, one may say
lhat the drought (dhar) only ended with the close of the year.
Xclc.—As one writes this, the conditon of both camels and sheep has
once more returned to normal, though the lambing season has been
a poor one due to the fact that most of the males died otT in the
early period of the drought.

YI.—Relations with Bin Sand.
1. These have been uniformly good throughout the year, if we except the
44 Blockade M, which has been maintained closely and sle’adily throughout 19.14.
2. The “ Blockade ” staff however have shown less strictness than usual,
probably owing to the fact that the Yemen War drained the northern marches
of men,* aud the largo influx of Ncjd tribesmen into Kuwait territory rendered
the watching of tho long Kuwait frontier a matter of some difficulty.
3. The Yemen-Bin Sand war naturally was the main topic of interest in
Kuwait during tho first, half of 3934.
The general opinion, when the news got round that Bin.Sand, had decided
on hostilities, -was that the King had for once in a while “ bitten off more than
lie could chew It was clearly a case of the “ whale trying to fight the camel ,
said evervone. ami if anvone was going to come off best, it would be the Imam
Yuliya, was the general opinion. The latter was looked upon as the move cun­
ning leader of the two, and his decision to await attack appeared to confirm
this.
Bedouin world of Arabia was deeply disturbed
4. Undoubtedly the whole hostile to the King'? rule
were
U.c '‘ aav ^see the star of Bin Sou.. «...
and would once more give them the. freedom from control vInch.the}
for. Those loyal to Bin Band (confined mostly to the tribes of miw X,:-A
Aridh Kimta and Kharj) were from the first despondent and bclie\cd thu .
their 1 jiilor had embarked on an adventure from which lie must come out
heavily damaged if not actually beaten.
Thrnpwl.out No id therefore, there were deep anxiety and much mur-
muring on Urn one side! and great hope and expectation on the other, ami there
is little doubt that had the King been beaten m a pitched battle caiJ) m ^
fcs213FD