BSY_FB_28-069

March Friday 10 1905

Shêkh 'Alī Kāsûn 8:30 A.M. Temp. 52º Barot. 27.98
clear, light rar[sp?] air mostly easterly.

During the night of 9th 10th thieves took up the pegs of both
sleeping tents while we were asleep, and stole articles out of the
tents, but got nothing of great value but L's saddle bag with
camera, poncho etc. It was a very clever piece of work. We
raised a terrible row about it. The 1st man to appear at the
tents which are pitched a little to the E. of the village was an
innocent peasant with milk for sale. He was hit with a stick
his pail[?] of milk upset, and unused[?]. Then the 2 guards or watchmen
[unclear] Tongue[?] cashed and then the 2 [unclear] who had slight
in the village being sent here by [unclear] [unclear] as we said we did not
need them during the night. One of them was taken by the ear
[unclear] & led around and into the tents to view the wreck. The
two chiefs of the village were [unclear] and told to find the goods.
Well[?] they called in all the people who were in the fields and
had each man go into a room alone with a bundle of [unclear] or
straw and [unclear] it. After all had departed a search was made
of the straw for the stolen articles by the shekhs, but nothing was
found. 13/B.[?] who was going to Damascus via rail from Hâmā,
ordered the men arrested, and so a [unclear] took the two shekhs and
the 2 watchmen and started for Hâmā, 4 or 5 hours to the S.S.W.
at 1:30 P.M., with the intention of handing them over to the
authorities.

P & N. went to the summit of a hill 10 mins. to the N.
and N. took some eights[?] & P. got 3 poor [unclear] inscriptions
cont'd.