I had believed these misfortunes of the Revolt to
be due mainly to faulty leadership, or rather to the lack of leadership,
Arab and English. So I went down to Arabia to see and consider its great
men. The first, the Sherif of Mecca, we knew to be aged. I found Abdulla
too clever, Ali too clean, Zeid too cool.
Then I rode up-country to Feisal, and found in him
the leader with the necessary fire, and yet with reason to give effect
to our science. His tribesmen seemed sufficient instrument, and his
hills to provide natural advantage. So I returned pleased and confident
to Egypt, and told my chiefs how Mecca was defended not by the obstacle
of Rabegh, but by the flank-threat of Feisal in Jebel Subh.
