Having reached Wadi Sirhan, on the evening of 27 May the
Howeitat were found to be at Isawiya, at the camp of Ali abu Fitna, chief of one of Auda’s clans.
“Our march was prosperously over. We had found the Howeitat: our men were in excellent fettle: we had our gold and our explosives still intact. So we drew happily together in the morning to a solemn council on action. There was agreement that first we should present six thousand pounds to Nuri Shaalan, by whose sufferance we were in Sirhan. We wanted from him liberty to stay while enrolling and preparing our fighting men; and when we moved off we wanted him to look after their families and tents and herds.
“These were great matters. It was determined that Auda himself should ride to Nuri on embassy, because they were friends … Auda would explain to Nuri what we hoped to do, and Feisal’s desire that he make a public demonstration of adherence to Turkey. Only so could he cover us, while still pleasing the Turks …
“… we laded six bags of gold into Auda’s saddle-bags, and off he went.”
Events of 28 May 1917 as recounted by T. E. Lawrence in Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1926).