_TO THE RAILROAD_
We were well cared for at Djidda. The sick and wounded found shelter
and attention in a comparatively good military hospital. A difficult
point for me to settle now, was how it was best to proceed on our
way. I had learned that the Bedouins who had attacked us were in the
service of the English, a fact to which the modern English rifles with
which they were equipped, attested. The way out of Djidda by sea was
also closed to us. During the day we could distinctly see the mast
tops of the English blockaders now and again. Nevertheless, I decided
to continue our journey in zambuks. It appeared to me that the way by
water offered greater possibilities of success than to travel by land.
The first step to be taken was to spread abroad the report that we
intended to go overland. Meanwhile, very secretly, I provided myself
with a zambuk and a good pilot. On account of the wounded it was
necessary to remain in Djidda for some days. The eighth of April was
the day set for our departure. In the harbor at Djidda there was a
motor-boat in which I made a trip of inspection as far out to sea as
possible. I saw no sign of the English. Did they believe in the rumored
land journey?
On the night between the eighth and ninth of April the wind was in our
favor, and we ran out. We met much better conditions than when we ran
the English blockade upon leaving Hodeida. The wind held steady all
through the night, and when the sun rose, we were out of sight of the
blockading Englishmen. I hugged the shore with my zambuk as well as
I could, and took advantage of every reef to creep behind it, and so
increase the difficulty of our capture by any possible pursuers. Our
progress was slow but sure. We stopped for a short time, generally not
more than a few hours, at several little coast towns to inquire for
news, and to purchase fresh provisions. The pilot we had taken with
us from Djidda was thoroughly familiar with the waters through which
he was conducting us, and spoke English very well. We lay at anchor
at night, as the reefs rendered navigation impossible in the dark. At
Sherm Rabigh I had to change zambuks, as the one I had procured at
Djidda proved to be too weak. Our new zambuk had first of all to be
ballasted with sand, as, without either cargo or ballast, the ship
could not carry sail.
Our anchoring, in the evening, was always a peculiar manoeuvre. In
the proper sense of the word anchoring, it was not such at all. The
coral reefs between which we were sailing fell off abruptly all round
into a great depth of water. The anchoring proceeded in this way: We
ran to within a few meters of the coral reefs, where we took down all
sails. Two Arabs, standing ready at the bow, then jumped overboard,
each one carrying with him a light rope to which iron hooks were
attached. These iron hooks were bored into the cavities of the coral
formation just below the surface of the water. And so we lay for the
night. This was not always pleasant however, for when the wind shifted,
there was danger that it would blow us onto the coral formation to
which we had made fast.
On our way to the north we passed several boats sailing in the opposite
direction. It is the custom in Arabia for boatmen, in passing, to
greet each other with a sort of howl. The Arabs in the boats we met
were always amazed to hear, as they sailed by us, the howling of their
countrymen in our zambuk energetically supplemented by fifty vigorous
voices.
We found practically no coast population along the entire way, but
occasionally we met, far out at sea, a little dugout carrying an Arab
or two engaged in fishing. We always hailed these fishermen, and
traded rice for fish with them.
Our way northward took us past Mecca. It is the custom with Arabs, when
at their prayers five times a day, to face toward their Holy City,
and to touch their foreheads to the ground in that direction. So it
came about that during the first days of our sailing, the Arabs in our
zambuk would stand facing toward the bows, then, later, to starboard,
and finally they faced aft.
Without meeting with any special difficulties we reached Sherm
Munnaiburra on the twenty-eighth day of April. This is a little
sheltered bay about ten nautical miles south of our intended point of
destination, El Wegh. From this bay onward our course lay without the
shelter of the reefs, and deep water ran close to the shore. We had now
been fighting our way onward for nearly six months, and there prevailed
among us a general disinclination to trust ourselves to a sail-boat
over this last short stretch that might prove dangerous to us on our
journey. For this reason we cast anchor at Sherm Munnaiburra, to go
overland to El Wegh.
Our coming had been made known to the local authorities by messengers
despatched overland, who had arrived before us. A few gendarmes had
therefore been sent to the coast to meet us. We got hold of one of them
while we were still in the harbor, and sent him out to find camels for
us. Before the night had passed, we could see from where we lay, a
number of little watch fires burning here and there along the shore, an
indication that the animals for our caravan were assembling.
When we rode off on the following day, we took with us nothing more
than our arms, and provisions sufficient for one day only. Everything
else was left on the zambuk, to take its chances by sea. Fortunately,
the zambuk reached its destination without sighting a single hostile
ship. On the evening of the twenty-ninth day of April we were in El
Wegh.
The first thing we did here was to get a good bath, and a good sleep.
Here, too, we at last had an opportunity to change our underclothing
and have it washed, for it required two days to get the necessary
camels together at El Wegh.
On the second of May, at eight o'clock in the morning, we began our
march. Here in the north, the camels traveled differently than in the
south, where, as has been described, they were all tied together so as
to form one long line. This is not the custom in the north, where every
animal goes along by itself, and must be guided by its own rider. At
first this proved a difficult task for my men, but before long they had
their camels so well in hand that the caravan could be kept together
quite well. We were conducted on our way by Suleiman, Sheikh of El Wegh.
At first our road lay through the desert with which we were all too
familiar. But very soon we came to a mountain region, and passed some
charming scenery. The water conditions also were far better than those
we had found in the desert. The wells were better kept, and furnished
water that was at least drinkable, although not absolutely clean. That
we should see running water when we reached the mountain ridge was
announced to us by our Arab escort, days before we got there, as a
matter of special interest and wonder. If any of us were anticipating
the pleasure of bathing in a mountain torrent, our hopes were certainly
doomed to disappointment. To be sure, the water in the tiny rivulet
that we saw did move, but any one of us could easily have stopped its
flow for some time, by stepping into it with both feet.
Up here in the mountains, where it was cooler, we marched by day, and
rested at night. Because of our bitter experience in the desert, we
made it our habit to intrench ourselves every evening before going to
sleep, much to the astonishment of our Arab escort. But we had finally
reached the point where we doubted that anybody was to be trusted.
Our fortifications were usually very quickly thrown up, as we had
brought with us spades enough for all. And so, each evening saw a small
fortified camp arise in the wilderness, and from out its ramparts our
four machine guns protruded threateningly. Within our fortifications
no watch fire was allowed, but the immediate region all round our camp
was well lighted by fires kept burning by our sentinels. We slept, as
usual, with loaded rifles in our arms. Comfort was not a prominent
feature in this sort of camp. The nights were very cold. The well men
among us frequently gave their blankets to the sick, that they might be
kept warm. But those of us who had none did not mind it, but followed
the old rule which runs: "Lie down on your back and cover yourself with
your belly."
The domain of our conductor, Suleiman Pasha, did not extend quite
to El Ula, from whence we expected to go by the Hejaz Railroad. Just
before reaching El Ula we had to cross territory that was controlled by
another sheikh, one who was at enmity with our friend, and who was illy
disposed toward us because we had not hired camels of him for the last
four hours of our march, while passing through his territory.
Under these circumstances it was quite possible that we still might
have to break our way through by force of arms. Suleiman Pasha also
seemed to regard something of this kind as probable. On each day, and
from every direction in the mountains, small bands of his adherents
joined him, until our caravan had gradually attained a total strength
of some four hundred men. It was a most picturesque scene we looked
upon as these Bedouins marched along, carrying long Arab flint-locks,
clad in their loosely flowing brown garments, and with fluttering
bright head-cloths. If, on the preceding days, we had been the only
ones to be cautious enough to intrench, it was now Suleiman Pasha
himself who adopted this measure, an evidence to us that it might yet
be made pretty hot for us. That night we made special efforts to be
well prepared. But it passed without disturbance of any kind.
We were now only one day's journey distant from a railroad station.
Our way lay over a high mountain region. We wound along through
narrow passes that seemed just fitted for an attack. Through these
defiles but one camel could pass at a time, with the result, that
the caravan stretched away in so long a line that it could hardly be
kept together under the command of one leader. To guard against any
possible surprise, Suleiman had organized a regular reconnoitering
service, which, in its wonderful efficiency, was worthy of admiration.
Perhaps it was also an evidence that he had frequent need of it.
Little patrols, mounted on camels, rushed at a full gallop into every
mountain valley, emerged on the other side of the mountain, made their
observations, reported, and returned to their places in the caravan.
When we were but a few hours' march distant from El Ula, letters were
brought to us. They had been sent to inform us that the angry sheikh
who, we had supposed, would attack us, was at the time embroiled in a
fight farther to the north, and that we could therefore continue on our
way without fear of being molested.
Upon receipt of this information I decided to ride ahead of the
caravan, so as to get to the telegraph station at El Ula as soon as
possible, order a special train, and make arrangements for the comfort
of my men. I was accompanied by Suleiman Pasha, his two sons, and
several other dignitaries. We rode at a sharp trot, and covered the
last stretch of the journey in a few hours. We had all come to be on
very friendly terms with our Sheikh and his two sons, although our
means of conversation were very limited. All three of them showed the
greatest interest when, on arriving at the summit of the mountain
range, from whence the white houses of El Ula could be seen gleaming
out from among the palm trees, I took out my binoculars to get sight
at last of a telegraph wire and a railroad. Glasses of this kind are
as yet unknown in this region. Each of my Arab friends wanted to get
at least one look through them, and so the glasses passed from hand to
hand. With every change of hands, the glasses were given an extra turn.
How much the last one could see, I can not say.
In order to impress our Arab escort at the very outset with the
efficiency of our weapons, I had, some days previously, given Suleiman
Pasha, to his great astonishment, an illustration of what our machine
guns were capable of in the way of firing. He was eager to be allowed
himself to press the button, and manifested a surprised delight when
the gun, which we had got ready for him beforehand, fired an unbroken
succession of shots, and brought down pieces of stone from the cliffs
at which it was aimed. As all weapons are subjects of great interest to
Arabs, I presented Suleiman Pasha and each of his sons with a revolver
and the necessary ammunition for it. In addition, I promised to send
them a binocular from Germany.
As we were riding across a wide plateau which stretched beyond the
limits of our vision, I utilized this opportunity to impress upon the
Pasha an idea of Germany's greatness. To his amazement he was told that
German warships, when engaged in battle, could fire upon the enemy
from a distance considerably greater than the breadth of the plain we
were then traversing. Although this was a slight exaggeration, for the
table-land stretched from horizon to horizon, it produced the desired
effect. The size of the guns from which these shots were fired, I
pictured to him by saying that a sheep could easily run through the
barrel of any one of them.
Toward noon we arrived at El Ula, and, much to my surprise, everything
was in readiness for us. A special train stood waiting for us, its
engine all ready for the order to light the fires. This order was not
long delayed.
Two German gentlemen and a number of Turkish officers had come to meet
us; letters and news from the colonies in Syria were awaiting us. We
were treated to chilled Rhine wine, champagne, peaches, and other
delicacies of which we had long been deprived. Being given the choice
between a glass of wine and a bath, I chose the former. Why depart so
suddenly from a familiar habit to which one had faithfully adhered for
weeks past?
[Illustration: Map showing the entire trip from Keeling Islands to
Constantinople]
A few hours later my men arrived. I rode out a short distance to
meet them. With flag flying, and cameras pointed at us from every
side, we marched together into the little town where a railroad and a
waiting room gave us the first indication that we were returning
to civilization. An abundant meal, a greater abundance to drink, and
a quick bath (after all!) occupied the next few hours. Then the train
moved northward at the wonderful speed of thirty kilometers an hour,
and we could yield our weary limbs to the comfort of red-cushioned
seats, a luxury long denied us.