T. E. Lawrence to D. G. Hogarth

Grand Continental Hotel
Cairo

2.2.1915

A long time since I wrote to you:- but office from 9a.m. till 10p.m. and all confidential work doesn't tend to letter writing: one has a pen in one's hand all day, and is sick of the thing by dark... We nearly wired for you the other day, to come and do civil governor of our conquests... but we decided it was too small a job to warrant it... How amused old Catoni would have been.

The P.E.F. are foolish in their generation, and so no doubt children of light. I hope Musil's knowledge among the Turks is more use than mine among the English. The Egyptian army officer is pathetically ignorant of across the border. Woolley sits all day doing précis, and writing windy concealers of truth for the press.... Newcombe runs a gang of most offensive spies, and talks to the General. I am map officer, and write geographical reports, trying to persuade 'em that Syria is not peopled entirely by Turks.... Aubrey Herbert unearths futile conspiracies.

The ten principals of the last conspiracy were sold by their underlings, and then came each one independently and secretly by night to the General, and gave away his fellows. It was so hard to keep them from meeting on the doorstep... and when the plot matured it was like the man who was Friday. None the less the Egyptian townsmen do hate us so. I thought it was only a coldness... but it is a most burning dislike. They are also very much afraid.

L.