T. E. Lawrence to Will Lawrence

Cairo 

2l January 1915

Address

Intelligence Department
            Cairo

I hear from home that you are attaching yourself to some regiment in India: I wish you had been in Egypt, though there isn't any job I can actually offer you, since you cannot speak Arabic. Can't you get on a regiment that will come here later? This show in Egypt will be rather a pleasant one I hope. Turkey is crumbling fast.

More news when I next write. For the last 6 weeks I have been
stuck in Cairo, in the office from morning to night, making sense of the news brought to us, and asking for more. Also writing little geographical essays. It doesn't sound exciting, but it has been far and away the best job going in Egypt these few weeks. The people at the Pyramids or on the Canal have had a very dull time.

Not much news from home: things seem to be moving quietly enough, over there.

Belgium has become a very unpleasant place. I don't want to go back there now!

G. is married, and settled down to a comparative peace. His pan-Ottoman feelings must be now much encouraged - but so long as things go quietly his sort won't have much scope.

I expect Young is in the Persian Gulf by now, talking Arabic and Persian, and doing great things. If not salaam him from me.

N.