Sat. Jan. 3. [3 January 1914] We got to Kharaneh [Qasr el Kharana] at
11 after stopping for 1/2 an hour in the W. al Butm to gather wood.
The trees growing in it besides butm are Waizeh and rutm, both
looking like broom and gutaf, a small leafed shrub. I rode on with
Nimran. He has a wife and 4 small children. Did I see his tent? it was
the one with the black foal tethered before it. He has a mare thank
God. He has only one camel - he had 3 but the Ruwalla took two in a
raid. I said I thought things wd be easier if they didn't steal from one
another and enjoyed what they had got. "We follow the ways of our
fathers and grandfathers. Hukm Allah. There is no ordinance but that
of God." Presently he thought he saw smoke and looked at it
anxiously. It might be a ghazzu he thought. "Every Arab is quick to
see smoke. Every Arab in the desert fears the other." Kharaneh is full
of splendid surprises. Lots of Kufic. I saw a Kufic inscrip. on the wall of
Amrah right of the door. Worked till 4.30. Then came and talked
plans with the men. We have found only 2 girbehs of water. None in
the W. Mshash [Mushash]. Wrote letters all the evening.