In the matter of the hat I'm most grateful. The mules have come and are exactly what I want.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, May 20th, 1924.
Your letters are almost always delivered on Saturday afternoon — 9 days post — and I've now made an arrangement with the office by which they send them over. So you may think of me happily reading them on Saturday evening when I come in from riding or what not. And indeed they are a great solace.
Meantime, I've ceased to worry. I tell all who come to see me that I'm thinking how nice it will be to go back to live at home.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, June 11th, 1924.
We beat Cinderella by half an hour — the Treaty was ratified last night at 11:30.
To H.B. [who was in Australia]
BAGDAD, June 25th, 1924.
I suppose it's the reaction from the unholy excitement in which we have lived for the last few months, but whatever may be the reason, I'm feeling shockingly dull and depressed. So I'm afraid this letter won't be up to standard.
First a little bit of business — since you say that the quickest way of writing to Ceylon is via London, I don't see why I shouldn't send my letters to you to mother, for her to read and forward. It will be a great simplification for me, for I shall not have to write the general news twice over — which I really cannot do — and I can write her a little extra note about the things I generally confide to her private ear. So, unless you raise objections, that is the course I shall pursue. And in order that I may not be deterred from keeping you informed as to the history of the Iraq and of your daughter, would you think it worth while to present me with some more writing paper like this? What you gave me four or three years ago has lasted till now, but it is very nearly finished. I think, as far as you are concerned, I've put it to good use — don't you agree?
At present we really are the happy nation which has no history. The Assembly is passing the Organic Law...Now there is a solid block in the Assembly — the upholders of the treaty — who, having learnt wisdom from the vagaries of the only representative body they have known, are determined not to weaken the powers of the throne. There's a fund of good sense in the Arab, of real value.
I have not done much this week. I swim a good deal and every Sunday the usual party of us goes up by launch to near Muadhdham where we swim and dive on the river bank. I have a little reed mat hut there to undress in and another at the swimming place, opposite the King's palace, where we go when we want to be back for dinner. Yesterday the King and Zaid joined us — and I'm now going to let them know whenever we go up so that they can come across and swim with us.
To F.B.
BAGDAD, June 25th, 1924.
I have been swimming so vigorously that my bathing costume is wearing out and already has to be darned. Will you please get me another. The kind I like is in two pieces, drawers and jumper, and I like it black with a coloured border of some kind round all the edges. I prefer silk tricotine to silk and I like best a square or V-shaped opening at the neck. As to colour if you see something nice in a variegated tricotine (vide enclosed — but this particular one is in silk not tricotine and I don't like that so much) it might be a pleasant change from black. But the colours should show a general tendency to dark blue or green if you understand me.
Bathing clothes are so exiguous that I think it might be sent by letter post by overland mail — they don't normally take parcels.
Ever your very affectionate (but tiresome) daughter, Gertrude.
[This particular order for clothes certainly was tiresome, for it was completely baffling. There were no bathing costumes to be found in two pieces, there were none to be found in tricotine, variegated or otherwise: there were very few in black or dark blue, or green, and of these none had a coloured border. Most of the costumes obtainable were in one piece, usually of bright coloured silk, with a design in gaudy embroidery on back or front, sometimes on both.
One of the least impossible of these garments was finally despatched to Gertrude. It did not give entire satisfaction, as will be seen from a subsequent letter.]
CHAPTER XXIV
BAGDAD - JULY 1924-DECEMBER 1924
To H.B.
BAGDAD, July 2nd, 1924.
As for my annals, they are now becoming very tame, I'm glad to say! The Assembly is duly passing the Organic Law: which ought to be through before Sir Henry goes on leave on the 14th. Did I tell you he was going on leave? He will be away for about 2 months, leaving Nigel Davidson in command. I think it is a good plan. He needs a little rest and also it will be an advantage his seeing the authorities in London and impressing his views upon them. I entirely agree with Lord Cromer who used to say that a big official should take leave every year if possible as much for the sake of H.M.G. AS for his own sake. And so far as I can see we shall be very peaceful for the next two months.
The most interesting thing which happened during this week was a performance by the R.A.F., a bombing demonstration. It was even more remarkable than the one we saw last year at the Air Force show because it was much more real. They had made an imaginary village about a quarter of a Mile from where we sat on the Diala dyke and the two first bombs dropped from 3000 feet, went straight into the middle of it and set it alight. It was wonderful and horrible. Then they dropped bombs all round it, as if to catch the fugitives and finally fire bombs which even in the brightest sunlight made flues of bright flame in the desert. They burn through metal and water won't extinguish them. At the end the armoured cars went out to round up the fugitives with machine guns.
I was tremendously impressed. It's an amazingly relentless and terrible thing war from the air...
To F.B.
BAGDAD, July 2nd, 1924.
[She writes of her father who had gone to Ceylon to see the Richmonds. Vice-Admiral Richmond was now Naval Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.]
Isn't it really a good thing that he should be so full of vitality and the power of enjoyment. How delightful it will be for Elsa and Herbert to have him! He is, we may admit to one another, like no one else in the world. I can't think how other daughters can bear not having him for a father.
I have been reading a bunch of modern plays published by Benn. Some of them seem to me to be very good and to strike a very real and human note. What do you think of The Fanatics? It took me by the throat as an expression of what, in general terms, I also think. I'm not sure that it is a play, in the sense that it could be good on the stage. I have sent for two new plays by O'Neill — if there's anything else you think remarkable, you might tell me. One is apt to miss even outstanding things when one is guided only by reviews.
I read when I come home after lunch. I've had six and a half steady hours of work and I'm tired, and besides it's too hot to do much. So I read myself to sleep, if I can, for an hour, and then go on reading till it's time to swim. On Saturday evening I get my mail, just before dinner — that's an exciting and delightful evening.
To F.B.
BAGDAD, July 9th, 1924.
... We picnic every Sunday on the river bank after swimming and that is unfailingly delightful. We take a great fish which the servants roast over a wood fire, excellent food, a cold chicken and joint, and we don't get back till after 10. I look forward to Sunday evenings. Besides that I swim two or three times a week between tea and dinner. The water is quite warm now with the temperature up to 116. You can stay in as long as you like. I love it. Otherwise I do very little. Office 7 to 1:30 lunch with Sir Henry and then home. On Sunday I have an advisor or a minister to lunch as a rule. Not an eventful life — one estivates, you can't do anything else — with the heat closed down round you like a wall. I'm quite well though. But I would give no small thing for a fortnight at Rounton.
Saturday evenings I look forward to also for its then the mail comes in and the delightful letters of my family, I dine alone and read them several times over. They're not wasted I assure you...
To H.B.
BAGDAD, July 9th, 1924.
This is a very cl
everly conceived letter designed to catch you at Port Said...
Do you know, I have a great admiration for Sir Henry. He is extremely good at his job; I admire his despatches home immensely — they are very courageous and very illuminating. He is a considerable administrator. He goes on leave next week and will be away 2 months.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, July 16th, 1924.
I can't say I had a nice birthday, indeed it was one of the most infernal days I ever remember. The temperature had jumped up to 121 with a raging furnace wind. It was so bad that Sir Henry, who was to have started off for Ramadi by air, on his way home, failed to get off at 6 and again at 10 and came back sadly to lunch. Finally he left at 5 and with considerable difficulty landed safely at Ramadi after dark. To-day I hope he is in Egypt. To-day the temperature has dropped again to something reasonable, round about 110 and I'm hoping that you won't be too hot in the Red Sea.
Nigel Davidson is left in charge and is living at the Residency, where I lunch with him. We're hoping that no 'orrible crisis will occur while the H.C. is away. To F.B.
BAGDAD, July 16th, 1924.
... I think I told you in one of my letters what I do every day. I get up at 5:30, do exercises till 5:45 and walk in the garden till 6 or a little after cutting flowers. All that grows now is a beautiful double jasmin of which I have bowls full every day, and zinnias, ugly and useful. I breakfast at 6:40 on an egg and some fruit, interview my old cook Haji Ali at 6:45 when I order any meal I want and pay the daily books. Leave for the office by car at 6:55, get there at 7. I'm there till 1:30 when I lunch with the High Commissioner — now with Nigel.
The first thing I do in the office is to look through the three vernacular papers and translate anything that ought to be brought to the notice of the authorities. These translations are typed and circulated to the H.C., the Advisers in the Arab offices, and finally as an appendix of the fortnightly reports to the Secretary of State. By the time I've done that, papers are beginning to come in, intelligence reports from all the Near East and India, local reports, petitions, etc. The petitions I generally dispose of myself; the local reports I note on, suggesting if necessary memoranda to the Ministries of Interior or Finance (mostly Interior which is the Ministry I'm most concerned with) or despatches and letters. Sometimes I write a draft at once, sometimes I propose the general outlines and wait for approval or correction. In and out of all this people come in to see me, sheikhs, and Arab Officials or just people who want to give some bit of information or ask for advice, if there's anything important in what they have to say I inform the H.C. At intervals in the daily routine, I'm now busy writing the Annual Report for the League of Nations. I usually get a clear hour or two before lunch.
I get home about 2:30 and do nothing till 5. I don't often sleep, but I lie on a big sofa under a fan and read novels or papers. All the windows are shut and the room is comparatively cool. After 5 I go out swimming or I take a little walk or people come to see me. I very seldom ride in the summer, it's too hot in the evening and I haven't time before going to office. I dine about 7:30 on some iced soup or a bit of fish or some fruit and sometimes if I'm feeling unusually energetic I do an hour's work or I write letters. Generally I read again till about ten and then go to bed on the roof, and that's the hot weather life. And now it's time to go and have my bath before dinner. Now I come to think of it it seems rather a hermit programme. It is. I hate dining out or having people to dinner in the hot weather.
To F.B.
BAGDAD, July 23rd, 1924.
About the bathing dress. It was my fault. I ought to have left you carte blanche about the material. Probably no one wears tricotinc now- something else is the vogue. The one you sent is rather baggy but I shall be very glad of it when my present one goes into holes.
Nigel and I are getting on famously. of course I'm rather a Person now that we are so short handed. I hope I shall not make any dreadful mistakes — but there's always Nigel to stop me. He is very cautious.
I've been bathing and it's now after dinner and I have two despatches to draft so I must turn to them.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, July 30th, 1924.
I have had a good deal of work this week. And there have been two or three very complicated and important administrative propositions which I have had to study and prepare for Nigel Davidson's decision. We are so shorthanded in the office, you see, that at this moment the greater part of the two other people's work comes to me. It's very interesting, however; I don't mind doing it. And in the summer it's well to be pretty fully employed. It keeps you from brooding on being a dog.
For once in my life I really am almost indispensable, someone has to do the routine work in the office and there literally isn't anyone but me to devil for Nigel the political and administrative things ...
To F.B.
Aug. 5th, 1924.
It is deadly hot and I'm as thin as a lathe — I can't eat anything in the heat. But I have a glass of iced soup at 11 a.m. and find that it makes all the difference. There is another month of extreme heat and then it begins to tail off.
M — - made a malady last week — fortunately she's well again. Do you remember Richmond Ritchie writing "My wife and family have influenza. The cook, thank God, is spared." I felt I knew what he meant.
There is really a great deal of work in the office; to-day I spent from 9 to 1 just over routine work — memoranda to write to the Ministries, office notes explaining papers and proposing action for Nigel, translating the papers, dealing with petitions. I didn't get down to my own work, reports, etc. till the morning was nearly over.
But I like having plenty of work; it keeps one alive. However as I began life at 5:30 and have been ceaselessly at it and it's now 10 p.m. I shall end this letter.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, Aug. 13th, 1924.
We have come to the end of Muharram without incident, yesterday was the last day. I'm glad it's over. Every night for the last 10 days the air has been uneasy with the wailings of the processions mourning for Hussain, their cries and the dull throb of the chains with which they beat their breasts. It is savage even from far off and it makes one feel disturbed. There is a little Shiah mosque a few hundred yards away behind my house and on the first nights of the month, when the moon was young, the glare of the torch flickered through my windows. The people work themselves up into such a state of frenzy that it's amazing some outburst of fanaticism doesn't occur, but it never does here.
To F.B.
BAGDAD, Aug. 13, 1924.
Thank you for the two books — The Adding Machine and Men and Masses. Modern literature is very queer isn't it, but it's also extremely interesting. One has to get oneself accustomed to entirely new forms- that which they embody is as old as the world because it is a variant of the human story! thought both those books — I can't call them plays — very striking and I'm so grateful because that is just the kind of thing I miss, not knowing about them. Yes, I've read St. Joan, this week. I thought it wonderful; I wish I had seen it on the stage. It is so clever of him to have made her a bluff — not to say rough — country girl. of course so she was, with the mysticism threaded separately through her.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, Aug. 20, 1924.
I dined with Haji Naji on his roof It was a nice cool evening for once and we sat on the roof with the full moon so bright that we wanted no other light and the tops of the mulberry trees waving round us. Presently I glanced up and saw the moon looking a very odd shape and found that it was a total eclipse! You saw it too I expect. It's a sinister thing, an eclipse, isn't it. As we motored back the shadow spread over the moon, deepened and left the world in a threatening darkness. The people in the houses were beating pans and firing off revolvers to frighten the whale which was devouring the moon. This they ultimately succeeded in doing, but not without great trouble. It was a very long eclipse.
... Bathing in our favourite pool opposite the King's palace. To us a party of shining ones, the King, Zaid, J
afar, Nuri ...all the King's pals. They had come, some of them to bathe and all of them to picnic on the bank. Do you know it's difficult to make a curtsey with grace when you're wet in a bathing dress.
On Sunday morning I went to the Museum which I had Promised to show to some teachers from Mosul. They were very much impressed and said many complimentary things about the service I was rendering to the Iraq. But what pleases me still more — since I'm blowing my own trumpet so loud — is that I have a letter from Sir F. Kenyon saying that he holds up the Iraq Department of Antiquities as the model for the manner in which the division of finds is made between excavators and the local Government and that as long as things remain in my hands he will be perfectly satisfied. I am very much relieved for I feared they would never forgive me for taking the milking plaque which was by far the best thing they found. I could do no other and I am so glad they recognized it. They have been most reasonable.
To H.B.
BAGDAD, Sept. 17th, 1924.
And what do you think I was doing this morning? I was taking a friend of yours to Babylon, Mr. Tom Griffiths. This is how it came about. Two Labour members and a Unionist, Mr. Griffiths, Dr. Williamson and Mr. Davies are here for three days on their way to Muhammarah and on to India. It is a tour arranged by the A.P.O.C., whose guests they are — a bit of propaganda. Lionel Smith and I took them to Babylon. We started, I may mention, by trolley on the railway, at 5:20 a.m. Mr. Griffiths conceived a high opinion of me when I told him I was your daughter and it wasn't diminished when he heard that I was sister-in-law to Charles. "We call him Charlie" he observed affectionately; "Our Charlie." I hope you like Mr. Griffiths; I think him such a nice man (like Mr. Terrapin) and certainly I never had a better audience at Babylon than I had to- day.
... It was quite cold going down in the early morning and not too hot at Babylon, but coming back, from 10 to 1, it was infernal. There was a wind that scorched you. I had to take refuge on the floor to get out of that blast. I still feel like a cinder...
To H.B.
Letters From Baghdad Page 73