T. E. Lawrence to his family

General Staff - Intelligence Section
General Headquarters
The Force in Egypt
Cairo

4.i.16

Another blank week. Reconstruction of Staff here is still going on. The latest idea is to turn us all out in favour of the Medforce Staff. We'll see. In any case I expect now to stay here for a time at least. No signs of Turks near the Canal; indeed they are not working very hard at their preparations. On the West the little flare up seems nearly over: a damp squib, the Senussi. I can get no news of Dahoum: indeed I am afraid to send and ask. Most of the men (and boys) from that district have been sent to Constantinople, where they still are. Few have been in firing lines as yet. Had the Arabs been a little more interested in the things of this world they would have been a nation by now: Your last mail this time went swimming. I hope there was nothing important.

Very cold here today: no fire-places in Egypt. [five words omitted] I'm longing for touch with decent Arabs again. There is a very heady old Shammar, and an Aneyze, and a Beni Temim townsman from Boreida, who comfort me. Miss Bell is doing great work for me.

N.