The opinion was to set out with the army early, as usual. Al-Hanna. After pleasantries, we set out returning to Al-Hanna. On Tuesday, October 9th, 1883, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, we set out from Torali point, heading for Al-Hamd or Al-Sunaita, which are midway to Al-Aqila, as the expert informed us. We arrived near Al-Hamd at 7 o'clock in the afternoon, entering a small grove where we encamped and performed the necessary ablutions as usual. We found several unused wells there. At that time, those who did not have water went and took their fill. We spent the night there on Tuesday, and early the next morning, we set out for Al-Aqila, which is the same distance from Torali as it is from here, as the expert informed us.

On Wednesday, October 10th, 1883, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, we set out from Al-Hamd point, heading for Al-Aqila. We began to cut through forests and plantations, with great difficulty, until 7 o'clock in the afternoon. We did not know the location of our destination, nor did we know that we would reach the well from which many soldiers had taken water, and not enough for at least two days. As our route was circuitous due to the expert's inability to ascertain the true path, the hardships we endured, sometimes from exhaustion and other times from extreme thirst, are beyond description, for fear of upsetting those who care about us. However, since we have begun to enter this territory, it is imperative that the condition of the army and the plight of the soldiers due to severe thirst be known. I feel it is my duty to reveal the truth to the best of my knowledge, regardless of any blame I may incur. Due to the intense heat of the sun and the long journey, both to the right and left, and knowing that the expert had misled us from the straight path, the soldiers' water skins, filled with water, were depleted. Knowing the proximity of the destination, they began to fall behind, one after another, ten by ten, and more. This led to a breakdown in formation, and they began to scatter, paying no heed to what they encountered. Worse still, the camp and the baggage train became spread out over a distance of two thousand paces. Fearing that the enemy might capture us, God forbid, in our condition, the entire camp was in disarray, and we all knew that there was no salvation.