T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 340

To Col.C.E.Wilson, Bramley Corner Basingstoke Arab Bureau, Cairo c.12.16 Dear Colonel Wilson I got back yesterday and found your wire saying that I was to thing urgent is for an air reconnaissance of Bir Said and Bir Sabir and Wadi Safra - and that is not possible till our landing planes where these places are. Unless they get a better map or local knowledge the planes(and fine flying in the dark,and any dawn from them at all to date. As a matter of fact we never had else they don't know we are here! About wiring urgently. It is not possible from the S...o-'s cedence, and the SMO has a lot of wiring of his own, of course. I don't suppose my wire at conditions in Feisul's camp will get through for some days yet, as it is a long one of about 400 groups. That state of affairs will continue till we have a sta- tion of our own. I am very sorry to hear that the despatch boat is "off". It would have meant better touch with Feisul, and as (3) The "Minto" is coming today, and I am sending by it direct to Cairo an expansion of my telegram No. 29, which I expect will is certainly not gone, and in the maze of conflicting reports and obvious exaggerations which have one can hardly see truth. I am afraid the morale of the Harb is badly shaken, and Feisul Jutlnca only. Hone or is soon on the aeroplanes can find their - (4) way about I will get up country again, and try and feel the in- tentions of Feisul and the Turks a little more closely. In- trents we very well, and let (sic) me ask hear and see everything including his agents. Of course I shall pass as a Syrian officer, which makes my style a little cramped. My three days ucarly ed up in, To begin with I only got an average of one hour's knock- sleep per 24, then we did none very hard camel travelling, and the alarms and excitements of the camp were great. As for when I will go up - that depends I'm afraid entirely on how things work out. General Clayton's orders to me were to go on shore and do what seemed best, and it would be hard to be more definite. I do not quite understand what the Siker can mean by my superintending the "supply question". All that comes in turn by (5) over to the Sheriff's agent, and el Kadir, in the steamer, and discharged and stored by him. There is no possible road for us to butt into the matter, nor do I think it desirable. If each ship is given a full list of stores on board for Yenbo, in Eng- lish or Arabic, then all necessary (sic) is the handing over that list to Abu el Fadi, and his receipt that he has had it ...th a