BSY_FB_28-059

February Tuesday 28 1905

Damascus - clear.

During our travels in the Hauran we had heard that
an English woman had been in many places that we visited
travelling alone - that is with no companions - only servants.
She had been through the country some five years ago and
was travelling there now but we never met her. We were
informed that she arrived in Damascus yesterday and her
dragoman had met ours on the street & informed him that
she was anxious to met us. We were naturally curious to see
what sort of woman she was & thought perhaps she would
arrange through the British consul whom we knew, to be
introduced. We thought?? of her as some manish crank English
woman of 50 homely and perhaps a sort of missionary.

This morning into the camp boldly walked a tall
slender very graceful woman of only 32 or 33 year of age with
a wealth of beautiful blond hair. She was dressed in a becoming green
tailor made suit, a bunch of violets at her waist some fluffy
tule? with a little embroidery in front - an attractive feminine
person with nothing manish about her - but all the ease
and grace of manner that is only found in women of the
very highest social rank; and this was Miss Gertrude Bell,
daughter of Sir Hugh Bell and Lady Bell of Sloane Sq.
London W. and a niece of His Brittanic Majesty's Embassador
to Berlin. We invited her into the dining tent and she
came in and sat at her ease as if she had known us all her

Contd under Feb 25th