T. E. Lawrence to his family

Akaba

28.3.18

Well, I foretold a long trip, when I was in Cairo a few days ago, and here I am back in Akaba for two nights. Various things happened to delay my start - and indeed I may have one more chance of writing about a week hence, from further North. News? none. We have lost so much by frost and snow and rain that movement has become difficult, and very unpleasant. There is however hope that the spring is coming. Yesterday was warm, but then Akaba always is. About Arnie. General Clayton asked me about him last time I was in Palestine. They did not wire for him, after all, as another man turned up, who will do for the present, and I knew he would rather not hurry things too much. As soon as I hear from you that he is ready to come out they will make an application for him to the War Office. For it to be successful he must be in the army, and an infantry regiment will be the easiest place, unless he gets a special list commission, which may not be still possible. I do not think there will be any difficulty about it at all, so long as he keeps up with his Arabic. I saw Kerry the other day, and Hugh Whitelocke - the only people from Oxford seen for some little time. No matter: after four years of this sort of thing I am become altogether dried up, and till the business ends I can't do anything else either here or there. It will be a great comfort when one can lie down and sleep without having to think about things; and speak without having one's every word reported in half a hundred camps. This is a job too big for me.

N.

