TRIUMPHANT ARRIVAL AT JALO 111 



is a famous Senussi zawia near Mecca and the bonds 

 between Libya and the Hejaz must always be close 

 because of the pilgrimage to the "Beit UUah!" It is 

 to the interests of every devout Moslem, especially to 

 these ascetic fanatics, that there should be peace in the 

 territorj^ of King Hussein. All were interested in the 

 career of the Emir Faisul and they asked when he would 

 return to Damascus. To this embarrassing question we 

 were obliged to give evasive replies, but the point was 

 pressed with more decision than usual. "Is not England 

 going to help him?" asked the kaimakaan indignantly. 

 We tried to explain the complicated policy of my country, 

 but the oldest sheikh shook his head impatiently. "Are 

 not the English strong enough to protect their allies?" 

 he said. "We were sorry when Sayed Ahmed made war 

 upon England, because we thought she was strong and 

 powerful. Has she become weak now?" We changed 

 the conversation lightly, but the little sting rankled. 



Once more it was brought home to us how British 

 prestige among the Ai-abs had dwindled during the last 

 years. We have won the war, but we have lost the 

 peace! Maybe we have lost an even greater thing! As 

 I hstened to the words of censure of our Beduin guests 

 I remembered the last speech I had heard on the subject. 

 It came from the hps of a great statesman at an Asiatic 

 Society dinner in London and, delineating Britain's 

 future policy in the Middle East, it left its hearers 

 bewildered by rhetoric but ignorant of fact! 



