T. E. Lawrence to his family

Kafr Ammar

Friday, Jan. 26, 1912

I am leaving P. Said on Feb 2, Friday, for Beyrout by the steamer that goes direct. So I will only be 19 hours at sea. That probably means I leave here on Tuesday, for I want baths and things in Cairo before going to sea.

I got your 13th letter on Thursday: I'm glad you got my Beyrout letter: yes it was a very funny Christmas: though why you should be very anxious about me I don't understand! About money: you suggest a cheque to Miss Holmes: but the B.M. (British Museum) now owes me £48, and I don't want to have too much over. It only leads to spending. It would be better if I left Miss H. till I got up to Aleppo again: I should have enough for that, for at A. I hope to find credits for me in the Bank for house building. I've written to Mr. Hogarth about this. In any case don't send money for me to Miss Holmes at any time, or wire to her about me, because she has no bank nearer than Beyrout, and no telegraph and it takes a day (and costs 5/-) to get up to her. Also post between Beyrout and Jebail takes often a week. It's better in all cases to wire direct to B.P.O. Beyrout, or to wire to Consul.

About the site: I don't think Hassan Agha is a rascal: it's only the coming of the railway that has raised golden hopes in all the country side. It's quite certain that we have now the truth about the site, we have copies of all documents enregistered. The Germans expect to take 4 years over the bridge, and of course they are raising prices, but our employment of only local workmen will save us many of their food difficulties. As it was, last month, when they told me that in three days they had only been able to get three eggs out of the village, Haj Wahid went out at once and brought back ten in about an hour:- only you see, they were for my use. Did I tell you the village sent a man in on foot (4 days) to Aleppo, to ask at the Consulate if I had arrived well after that attack of dysentery last summer? And the messenger didn't ask if we were coming back or anything else. You'll see my pottery and seals - in time - in the Ashmolean. Miss Holmes' committee which promised to buy her property has failed to do so, and the leases of her boys' school are running out: also she has been a little too hard lately on Miss Fareedah, who has nearly broken down. As I wrote the Table Cover has not (or had not) arrived. I'll tell you later what its judgement is. And I have not yet settled with Mrs. R[ieder]. Dr. Gibson isn't very dear: remember F[rank]'s share of the insurance money was £10. About my journey up the Nile: left Cairo 9.30 a.m. arrived Kafr Ammar 11.15, seeing nothing of the river but an arm near Cairo, and that through a girder bridge. Egypt is not be ranked with Syria for a moment: you have only to think of fellahin - and ours are Bedu. All the difference in the world. These are such poor fellows.

You know it has been the gradual realisation of the barrenness of Egyptian art after the Pyramid time that has removed all my wish to dig things Egyptian. Fortunately this is nearly all prehistoric, which seems the best there was in the country. I find very distinct influences of Mesopotamian art in the carvings of this cemetery: not in the pottery. Prof. Petrie agrees, and has suggested that he pay for a tentative dig in Bahrein (vid. Strabo I think, or some early geographer on the Phoenicians) or any other point on the Arabian coast I settle for. It appears to me that Bahrein (with authority of Strabo above) is the most likely half-way house between Mesopotamia or Elam and Egypt. A dig there would be excellent sport, and as it is an English dependency, not very difficult, and one could carry off the stuff. I will enquire of Mr. Hogarth before closing with the idea. Write next to H.B.M. Consul, Aleppo.

Am quite well but very dirty: people in this camp wash only twice a week and never change their clothes. It is certainly the most uncomfortable place imaginable: but I like the professor very much indeed. He has been with us a fortnight.