T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 417

To Hogarth Aleppo. Feb.20 (1912) Funds have arrived: Kenyon has sent £50 which will just pay for the house and those Narcopoli suites. You know the peat demanded 120 francs for it, well I have added four more Hittites to it and have got the lot for 110 frs. "It" is a "Cappadocian" cylinder - that is one of those non-Mesopotamia- style things, cut so deeply as to resemble a copper-print; this is a good one of its class, too. I'll let you have it below cost-price, because I know it's rather more than you will fancy: but there is a horrible nightmare pur- suing the best things in the shape of a little man buying for Chicago. The good he fancied he got: only one Hittite (thing I selected aside, which I bought of him at once. I couldn't let this good cylinder go to (America,deleted) France, and he had his eye on it: only I outbid him by ten francs. I'm only calling them Cappadocian cylinders to distinguish them: I'll get your name for them when you come. The outstanding feature of last week was one of these cylinders x in white marble. It is in poor condition - like moth-eaten ivory - but must be a rare object, I made a pass over it: for it was cheap. Pelekian bought a bronze god: poor work I thought, and I only saw marks to f7. He gave £2. He lent for I have all the seals; and the bronzes really are rather dull. You owe thanks to Fontana, for it was he who gumped up the money to let me buy these things. Otherwise they would be all (or all the best) Partie-foutu. I arrive to Woolley and told him not to bother about Primus stoves, that he could get them in Aleppo. I expect he could: at any rate to order. He wrote to say he was bringing his two Zuidi people with him: they will be rather a blot on the landscape, but I don't care, for the railway has brought a horrible crew - the sweepings of Aleppo - already. They are building the temporary, wooden, bridge. I shouldn't be as- tonished if the Qatina got nervy and went home. Those Feikis I had were worms, W. talked of bringing a gang another year! I have left a note for Gregori with Tagir telling him what tools we have: there were a lot of shovels left. I hope to start for Jerablus tomorrow. It is delightful being out again, and I'm quite fit now. F's camp nearly laid me out! I got a letter from you yesterday - coming up from Egypt with min thirteen post-marks. It asked me to buy a cylinder, which I did of my own prompting for 10 frs. I'm not yet sure of its Hittity. In fact I think it isn't. I've sent off Thompson's boxes to Catoni with request to forward: so he will have lots of our things. Am writing to Ifoulkee; his armourers are not satisfactory. Sorry my people bothered you: they have got absurd ideas that people may disappear quietly in the E. I can't persuade them every- body knows thereof five minutes after the disappearing. I got your note too late of course to look at Ramesside pottery