TCD MS 10516 folio 23 recto
[10th September 1916] to forego his village, turn about and march back along the river bank. It was unfortunate; it seemed rather an undignified display of weakness, it seemed rather an undignified display of weakness to have to admit to the Sheik our inability to place him in power by force of arms.
But an incident on the return journey exaggerated this misfortune, by adding to the weakness an appearance of desertion. It occurred in this way. The Arabs in the village, some thousands in number, mounted and well-armed, followed our expedition as it retired down river. The current was strong, and the boats, in order to make steerage way, had to steam at considerable speed, much faster than the Sheiks following could attain on land. The wind was high, and this, added to the current of the river, and minimum steerage way, gave the vessels a speed