Wed 17. [17 May 1905] Blazing hot. My horse has been bitten almost to death in the khan - most annoying. Packed and talked to Prof. Ramsay. We all lunched with the Loytveds after which I called on the English Dragoman and his wife, then sent some telegrams and went to the bank. Back to the station to send off my luggage. Then to the Trats to tea. I found Husne Bey and Savoie. The Arabs have got their money from Busrah. Husne Bey says that Bassan, the Arab I saw in the streets at Damascus [Dimashq (Esh Sham, Damas)], goes every year to Hail with a big caravan. Trat says Izzet Bey cannot fall, he has too many secrets in his hands. He is the real author of the Mecca [Makkah] railway. He does not think the railway does much good. He says the Germans are too grasping or too self seeking. He is badly paid. He got more when he was a young man in C'ple [Istanbul (Constantinople)] than he does now in Konia [Konya (Iconium)]. Konia was offered him years ago at a higher salary than he draws now and he refused it hoping for something better. Then the then gov. of the bank who was his protector retired and he had no one to push[?] him and had to take what he cd get. Back to the hotel to send off my luggage by petete[?] vitesse[?]. It cost £T1 to Haidar Pasha [Haydarpasa] which was not much[?]. Oh, I said this before! Dined with the Ramsays - the son's name is comme de droit, Alexander. We sat on the balcony afterwards and discussed whether civilization ebbed and flowed. Prof. Ramsay said he thought it was truer to say that the part played by degeneration was far greater than people thought.