[14 May 1900] May 14. Damascus [Dimashq (Esh Sham, Damas)]. Belloved Family. Yesterday I got a delightful batch of letters from you all - you had better now write to me to the English Consulate Beyrout [Beyrouth (Beirut)] - and today came your telegram which it was a great relief to receive. I at once communicated the war news to the Richards and we rejoiced together. I'm off tomorrow with an escort of 3 soldiers and all promises well. I expect to be back in a fortnight. I shall meet Charlotte here, spend another couple of days and then with her over the hills to Baalbek and the Cedars. Beyrout (a week or so) from whence by boat to Jerusalem [(El Quds esh Sherif, Yerushalayim)]. For time is running short and I shall not be able to carry out all my project of riding home. Yesterday I lunched with M. Asfar, Lütticke's secretary, and met Mme L. and all her children. The Asfars have a charming house and it was all very friendly and pleasant. I had spent the morning driving round the walls of Damascus and visiting various houses and mosques. The houses are the things to see here. From out of the dingiest narrowest street you turn into an unportending doorway and find yourself in a series of courts, fountains in the middle of them, orange trees growing in them, heaps of flowers, and the walls inlaid with marble and the lovely old Damascus woodwork. The rooms leading out of them are of like splendour; inlaid work and exquisite plaster work and water everywhere, running over marble basins. I went to tea with Mrs Richards and sat in her charming garden. She has a very nice cousin staying with her who knows out [sic] part of the world very well for she often stays at Norton where the clergyman (Scott) is Mrs Richards' brother in law. Isn't that odd. The Asfars had invited me to go with them in the evening to a Maronite wedding, so I drove off to their house at 9 and found all the Lütticke family there, including M. Lütticke who had just returned. I enjoyed my evening immensely, mostly because I had long talks with L. who is one of the most interesting people I have yet seen. He knows the country in and in and gave me lots of advice about Palmyra [Tadmur]. He's a perfect dear. The wedding was curious. We went first to the bride's house where we sat and eat ices for some time; then the bridgroom came to fetch her and we walked in procession through the narrow streets carrying candles. This walk was delightful because L. told me thrilling travel stories all the way. At the bridegroom's house we found the Maronite Patriarch and the ceremony was performed in the courtyard. We then eat more ices and drove home, L. and one of his girls seeing me back to my hotel. The ceremony consisted chiefly in putting on and taking off rings as far as I could see; the pair were crowned with little silver crosses - his sat oddly on top of his tarbush. I went early to the German Consulate this morning to look at maps and get money. They asked me to lunch so I returned after I had done my various commissions and preparations for the journey. I found two men lunching, one a German who has travelled everywhere and had brought photographs to show me and one an Arab from Beyrout - he belongs to a distinguished family and I think his name is Hussein el Haida. Anyhow L. said he knew more about the country than anyone else, and we turned the conversation onto the Druzes and it was thrillingly interesting. L. also was very wise and learned about them and I learnt a great many things that I wanted to know. I came home to write letters and the L. family have just been paying me a fairwell [sic] visit. L. interviewed my zaptieh for me, so that I start under the best of auspices. I can't tell you how kind and nice they have been nor the joy it is to find someone who is such a fountain head of wisdom and knowledge as L. is.
I'm thrilled by the marriage news of my country. Fancy J. Hansen marrying Lady Somebody Anything! It's too droll. So you are going to the P Exhibition! Viel Vergnügen! I wish I were with you, but I'ld rather be at Palmyra on the whole. I've written to Uncle Arthur - how kind of him!

Poor dear Father! you must be having a time with your aged parent! I can't say I sympathise, because I have too little experience of what it must be like to be able to sympathise properly, but I feel very sorry for you.

Now I must pack. Ever your very affectionate daughter Gertrude

It's funny about Aunt B., but of course if she is happy, it's much better for us!