[28 June 1918] June 28 Baghdad Dearest Father. My Persian plans are now all laid. The C.in C., who is going on leave to India, has offered me his car and I've telegraphed to the Marlings asking them if they would like to have me for a few days. If they agree, I shall go straight up to Tehran [(Teheran)], stopping a day at Kirmanshah [Bakhtaran] and another at Hamadan. I shall stay the inside of a week at Tehran, then return to Hamadan (which is 6000 ft and always cool) pick up tents and mules there and after pottering about in the mountains, come slowly back. It's all high up - Kirmanshah is 4000 ft. Doesn't it sound nice. I hope to be off about the 10th but my plans wait on the Chief's for I can't take his motor till he has gone, bless him. They are amazingly kind, aren't they. The C.G.S. General Gillman, is making all the arrangements for my mules and things. I send up my own pony. It's stuffy here now, and one has the languid summer feeling. I shall be glad to be off.
I dined with the Chief on his return from Persia last week - it was a dinner party for Lady Cox, but nice in spite of that. She doesn't add anything to the gaity of nations herself. On Sunday I took Gen Stuart Wortley to tea in the delightful garden of the Polit. Officer at Kadhimain [(Al Kazimiyah)]. It was wickedly hot, but we motored out - it's about 6 miles away. I motored before breakfast with Capt. Gillan, P.O. Baghdad, to see my friend Faiq Beg, some ten miles up river. We sat in his verandah and eat fruit - he's a dear old thing. But it was too heavy and limp a day to enjoy walking about his garden. On Monday the N. wind came back, making all the difference.

I ride generally in the evenings now, after 5; it's better than the early morning which makes me sleepy in the middle of the day. Tonight I was out with Gen. S.W. and a very charming new young man who has just come out to the head of the Remount Dept. namens Bate. He is terribly crippled from a riding accident several years ago and can't ride far or fast. He left us when we got into the desert and rejoined us as we came back. He looks as if he had suffered a great deal, and I believe he does suffer still. But very intelligent and pleasant.

We are having a visit from the religious head of the Devil Worshippers, an interesting man who has favourably impressed us all. They live up Mosul [Mawsil, Al] way and are longing for us to come and help them against the Turks, not an easy matter at this moment. I wish we could do something for them; I have an old friendship with some of them. Nice people. The European news looks so much better that it's impossible not to hope we may be through the worst. The Turks are not a very strong link in the German chain and the old Bulgarian hatred seems to be reviving. Who knows? The worst is that we have so few inducements to offer them. It's too early to think of it however. No post this week. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude.