Page:The Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926).djvu/18

 BOOK III.

CONCENTRATING AGAINST THE MEDINA RAILWAY.

Our taking Wejh had the wished effect upon the Turks, who abandoned their advance towards Mecca for a passive defence of Medina and its Railway. Our experts made plans for attacking them. The Germans saw the danger of envelopment, and persuaded Enver to order the instant evacuation of Medina. Sir Archibald Murray begged us to put in such a sustained attack as should destroy the retreating enemy. Feisal was soon ready in his part; and I went off to Abdulla to get his co-operation, On the way I fell sick and while lying alone with empty hands was driven to think about the campaign. Thinking convinced me that recent practice had been better than our theory. So on recovery I did little to the Railway, but went back to Wejh with novel ideas. I tried to make the others admit them, and adopt deployment as our ruling principle; and to put preaching even before fighting. They preferred the limited and direct military objective of Medina. So I decided to slip off to Akaba by myself on test of my own theory.

Chapter 29.—Rewards of victory (145) the need of guns (145) Jaafar Pasha takes command (146) Brémond's proposal (147). Chapter 30.—Life at Wejh (149) armoured cars and navy (151). Chapter 31.—The general war (152) political work (152) Feisal's propaganda (153) and the quality of his achievement (155). Chapter 32.—Clayton's bombshell (156) new dispositions (157) journey inland (157) sickness (160) a death for a death(161). Chapter 33.—In the hills (162) lava and volcanoes grown cold (163) implacable hospitality (164) Emir Abdulla's camp (166). Chapter 34.—Generalising the military theory of our revolt (167). Chapter 35.—Recovery (177) projecting a raid (178) a shepherd (180) fresh plans (181) mine-laying (182) a show (183). Chapter 36.—Shakir's triumph (184) another raid (185) a storm (186) mine-laying (187) the alarm (189) getting away (191). Chapter 37.—Emir Abdulla, nature and life (193) Shakir (195). Chapter 38.—Starting for Wejh (197) Beduin characters (198). Chapter 39.—Feisal again (202) Auda abu Tayi (203) the ruling strategy (205) my criticisms (206) the Akaba scheme (207).

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