Page 255 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

The Sumu Old Thing
Du. C. S. Ci. Myi.hka

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, ami said, The
Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have
carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the
sword; and / only am escaped alone to tell thee. Job. 1:17. i
O N THli evening of Friday, the 25th of April, I was called to
one of the leading houses in Kuweit to treat a sick man. There
was nothing very unusual in that, but l was no sooner in the
house than I noticed that everyone was upset and nervous. At
first I thought it was anxiety for the patient but L learned presently
that Kuweit was again threatened by its old enemy, the Ikhwan or m
English, the Brethren. Some of our readers may remember seeing in
“Neglected Arabia" an account of the serious fighting which took place
outside Kuweit in October, 1920. One member of the household was
pale and breathless as he recounted what he evidently considered had
been y narrow escape. The enemy were not far behind him as he rode
in from the desert at top speed and he could hear the sound of the
tiring. He had no very clear notion of what happened except that
there had been fighting between our people and the Ikhwan. The news
had struck consternation into the hearts of all and long after 1 had
finished with the patient l sat discussing the situation with them. “The
raid was doubly wicked on the part of the Ikhwan. Was it not
Ramathan? The sacred month? Was not all raiding forbidden in this
month? Were not the Ikhwan breaking faith with Kuweit by attacking
us within our own boundaries and almost within earshot of the city?
And attacking defenceless shepherds? The curse of Allah on them I"
Thus they stormed, chagrined at their own helplessness, and bitter in
the thought that there was no hope of revenge.
An hour or so later, l was just getting into bed when I heard foot­
steps outside and then saw the gleam of a lantern on the verandah.
Thinking that one of the patients down at the hospital was having 4
hard time and wanted me, 1 went to the door to find Mr. Calverley
there with two Arabs. They had come to his door asking for the
doctor, so he had come round with them. “There had been a raid
out in the desert some fifteen miles away and they had been wounded."
Together the four of us went down to the hospital and in the course
of half an hour or so, we had sewed up their wounds which were clean
sword cuts. We congratulated them on having come to the doctor so
promptly and praised their courage for having walked all that dis­
tance in spite of pain, weariness and loss of blood. Their story wui
that a party of them were out in the desert tending their sheep and
goats and gathering hay and brushwood when a large force of armed
men galloped down on them with drawn swords and attacked them
furiously. Our men were quite unarmed so that the issue was never in
doubt. The raiders took everything, camels, sheep, goats, clothing,
everything. We were assured that more wounded men would arrive
on the morrow.