Faysal Ibn Sha’lan and the pursuit on the Kuhaylah Rodaniyah mare, 1870.

A fantastic account and a funny story of a botched ghazu, from Rehan Ud Din Baber’s Facebook page, that treasure trove.

“On occasions which a resident in the country and one on good terms with the Sheikhs can alone take advantage of, the most valuable horses and mares are sometimes picked up, in almost peculiar manner.

A friend of mine secured a splendid Keheilen er Rodan mare of remarkable beauty, symmetry and speed, for £ 270, under the following circumstances which would supply materials for a sensational novel. This mare belonged to Faissal Ibn Shalan Sheik of the Roala tribe who had refused enormous offers for her. Five men of the Mowali on plunder intent, turned out on the picked mares of the tribe to steal camels from the Roala. They drove off some the first night, and, emboldened by their success, returned to poach again. The Roala were in waiting and attacked these freebooters. The Mowali, considering discretion the better part of valour, beat a hasty retreat, trusting to the speed of their mares. In the hot pursuit fifty Roalas were left behind, but two, better mounted than their comrades, continued it for ten hours. The Mowalis escaped with the exception of one, whose mare gave in dead beat. He pulled up to surrender, for the cry of quarter is granted in Arabia. The two pursuers were Faissal, the Sheikh of the Roala, on the Keheilet er Rodan, and a cousin of his on another fine mare. Both called out that he was their prisoner and rushed upon him. Faissal, angry at his kinsman’s presumption, jostled him, and both mares and riders rolled over. The Mowali, evidently a man of prompt decision, saw his chance, sprung from his tired steed on the back of the first of the Roala mares that recovered herself and galloped out of sight of his prostrate foes. It was evening and he galloped all night, and by morning came up with his comrades, and, on looking back, he saw the other Roala mare following him riderless. What a night Faissal and his cousin must have had of it! The Mowali took the other mare in tow and brought both prizes to his camp, whither my friend soon went, and, having sworn the oath of brotherhood to the Sheikh of that tribe, got the mare that had been ridden all that long journey for the price already stated. She was then 15 hands high and 4 years old; the other mare was a Hamdani Simri, very handsome and as well known by the Anezi as the Alabama was by the Yankees.” 

~W.A.KERR. 

The Oriental sporting magazine. n.s.v.3 (1870).