Baghdad Sunday July 4 Dearest Father. There isn't very much to record this week - the political tide ebbs and flows and we don't get much further. The mayor, Majid Shawi, dropped in while I was breakfasting a few days ago, as his habit is, and told me that Yusuf Suwaidi and several of the leaders had approached him and asked whether if they accepted the mandate they could be sure that we really meant to set up an Arab Govt. He replied that they might be certain of it and that he was ready to go further into the matter with them at any time, but so far they have done nothing more. Meantime the meetings in the mosques continue, although Ramadhan is over, and the tribes are exhibiting a certain amount of lawlessness which is symptomatic. You remember our friend Hasan Suhail at 'Aqarquf, shaikh of the Bani Tamin? One of his sections raided some of the Dulaim. Shaikh Hasan came to Frank and said that as the Dulaim had been consistently loyal we must make an example of the Bani Tamin section and that if he would come out with cavalry, he, Shaikh Hasan, would come with him. So they had a night's campaign, chased the offenders and caught two of them, Shaikh Hasan chasing with the best of them. A little rapscallion tribe at Mahmudiyah [Mahmudiyah, Al], half way between here and Hillah [Hillah, Al], has robbed a lot of Persian pilgrims and are now defying the universe at large. We have had to send out troops against them too. And more serious the tribes down the Euphrates between Samawah [Samawah, As] and Diwaniyah [Diwaniyah, Ad], are in open reBellion and have cut the line in three places. I don't know the details, but what I know is this: the tribes down there are some of the most lawless in the 'Iraq. The Turks were helpless before them and for years had never got a penny of revenue from the district. We've taken our full demand, and when the Shaikhs resisted we've bombed their villages. They're rogues I know; everyone knows it. But I doubt whether we've gone the best way to make them appreciate the benefits of settled govt. For months I and others have been telling AT [Wilson] that we were pressing them to [sic] hard and I always anticipated that if we had disturbances they would begin in the Diwaniyah Division. They have. They have broken the Rumaithah [Rumaythah, Ar] bridge - you remember it - and I expect it will be some days before the line is running. We have sent down a regiment from here. Things of this kind are infectious and it's possible we may have more trouble. In my opinion we've brought it on ourselves. One bright spot there is, a telegram yesterday from Allenby urging that we should let Ja'far Pasha (vide my Syrian report passim) come over and explain the position of Faisal's govt. AT gave it to me and I told him I thought it heaven sent. The Syrian business has been the root of the trouble and we shall never get ahead till we're on terms with Faisal and treating him as man to man. To have Ja'far here, hand in glove with us, as he will be at any rate with Capt. Clayton and me, knocks the bottom out of the anti British propaganda to which Faisal has always been opposed. He has been writing to me (Ja'far has) all the winter asking if he may come back but AT wouldn't let me give him any encouragement. And anyway what was the good of encouraging him to come here and be ignored, as I knew he would be. I had a little dinner party last week, Miss Wheatley, Mr Bullard and Rauf Chadirji. Did I tell you about Rauf? He's the son of one of the Baghdad magnates and has only just come back here - we wouldn't let him come before on the ground of his being a strong Union and Progress man; bosh, I thought it. He speaks French, English and German fluently - French like a Frenchman and takes a cynically detached view of all that's happening here. All his relations, I must tell you, are in the thick of the agitation. He's an intelligent man; not, I should think, very stable. He comes constantly to see me and I talk to him as if he were one of ourselves. He was extremely amusing after dinner telling us his experiences as an official in Turkish times. I should think he will take office here in the future and I'm quietly introducing him to all my colleagues. I went to tea with the Pachahji ladies and talked over their future with him. My poor friend Musa's sons (Musa Pachahji, proprietor of my house) all want to go and live in Europe or preferably C'ple [Istanbul (Constantinople)]. There they conceive that they'll make their fortunes as merchants and their scheme at present is to sell all their property here and set up in business. The eldest is 23 and they have no business experience of any kind. Their family is bitterly opposed to their plans but has no influence over them. If they do sell, I shall buy my garden. However we'll see. I also went to tea with Saiyid Daud, who is a sort of cousin of the Naqib, but much younger and married to his daughter. She's a very nice woman, rather like the Naqib to look at. She has a mania for cleanliness and spends her whole time washing, clothes, furniture, everything. They have a lovely house with a great inner courtyard full of olive and palm trees. I really went to say goodbye to their family of storks which are just preparing to flit. This morning I rode out before breakfast to see H. Naji and found a large party of people with him. We talked long about the political situation, they pointing out a good many of our errors, more of omission than of commission. They were extremely reasonable and had my full sympathy. We all agreed that there was no reason why the mandate shouldn't work, with good will on both sides. Haji Naji, who is heart and soul with us, took a wise part in this conversation. I've been writing to Blanche today about plans and have said that if I can I'll come for a fortnight or 3 weeks in the middle of August. It all depends on what's happening here. Frank is going away this week - on leave, to be married. As long as the people here want me, I must stay, and I ought to be here when Ja'far comes, if he comes. Just to provide a place where he can drop in to dinner when he likes and meet a few of us on equal terms. But in 6 weeks time the situation may have cleared, Sir Percy's return will be near at hand, and if I can get away for a week or two I shall. Meantime I'm quite well and it's not particularly hot, seldom up to 110. As long as I don't have fever or something silly I shall be all right, and I see no reason why I should have anything. Anyhow I don't feel that I can come to any definite decision for the moment. Rishan is getting well but it will be a long time before the wound is quite healed. I miss him dreadfully out riding, indeed riding loses half its pleasure. But I go on with it because I know it's the best way to keep well. And it's very delicious out in the early mornings. Now this is very important: will you please send me by Lady Cox when she returns (with the other things) my riding hat, an ordinary billy cock riding hat, I've got one I know) and also a pair of black riding boots which are at Rounton. I shall want all these for riding in the winter. My crop has come - I'm so grateful. I can now beat Rish when he chases hens and sheep. I'm particularly obliged to Mother for sending me her article about Lisa which I thought charming, and still more for the article on women which is admirable. Oh dear I wish that all the things expected of one about which she talks weren't so difficult to perform! Your very affectionate daughter Gertrude