XXIV 



PREFACE 



success of the expedition depended on the good will of 

 the Emir Mohammed Idris es Senussi and of his brother, 

 Sayed Rida. It is absolutely impossible for any European 

 to set foot into Libya without the permission of the 

 Emir or his wakil. We were welcomed by the Sayeds 

 with a hospitality that reminded us of the Arab greeting 

 to a guest, "All that is mine is thine." Whatever we 

 asked for was given us, multiplied a hundredfold. Sidi 

 Idris and his brother were so prodigal of their generosity, 

 so unfailing of their help, that we shall feel eternally their 

 debtors. 



Since surprise has been expressed that we should have 

 met with any opposition in Libya once we were provided 

 with Sidi Idris's passport, I should like to explain that 

 we had no permit from the Emir himself. The letter 

 referred to throughout the book was merely a casual, 

 personal letter expressing his willingness to receive us. 

 We had, however, a passport from Sayed Rida authoriz- 

 ing the Sitt Khadija, a Moslem working for the good of 

 Islam and the Senussi, and A. M. Bey Hassanein to 

 visit the country. This document insured us the most 

 hospitable welcome from the official classes in spite of 

 the plots of the Bazama family and of Abdullah, to which 

 plots alone I imagine we owe the adventures of our 

 journey. 



Because of the good will of the Sayeds we found many 

 friends and allies in their country, notably Mohammed 

 Quemish and Yusuf el Hamri, who accompanied us 

 through 1,000 miles of desert till, somewhere east of 

 Munasib Pass, we fell into the hands of the Frontier 

 Districts Administration, and thereby hangs a tale, for 

 so few of us in England know for how much she is re- 

 sponsible abroad! 



Egj'pt is like a tadpole, her head the Delta, and her 

 tail the long curving valley of the Nile. Therefore, of 



