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now begin to understand why British Government has come to grief in India, where our women do just the same thing. [Baghdad, June 19, 1921]
    But she made good friends with Aurelia Tod, and much regretted her absence when the Tods left Baghdad.
    I miss her dreadfully. She is the only intimate friend I have here; there isn’t one of the other women whom I care about or can talk to with complete frankness. It’s such a comfort to have someone to whom you can say everything! And besides she adds very greatly to the pleasure of life by making a centre for us where we can meet cheerfully and agreeably. [Baghdad, May 8, 1921]
    Of Muslim Wives
    They [the ladies of Baghdad] never see anything or go anywhere, think of it! Some of them remain quite human and cheerful buta great many are hysterical and nerve-ridden. They look like plants reared in a cellar. [Baghdad, May 4, 1918]
    The poor thing never leaves the house or sees anyone. There are many families where the women are entirely secluded. I’m bound to say they hate it, and my heart aches with boredom when I think of them. [Baghdad, December 27, 1918]
    Last night I dined with Sir Aylmer * to meet Ja’far * and Nuri * and their wives! I doubted whether they would be bold enough to bring them, the wives I mean, but they were—it certainly is a great step forward. . . . They behaved perfectly, their complete absence of self-consciousness giving them a natural distinction which many great ladies might envy. [December 8, 1921]
    Of the First Women’s Club Established in Baghdad
    I’m wholly in favour of it—it’s the first step in female emancipation here—and yet wholly against it because it’s going to give me such a lot of trouble.
    Aren’t we advancing Moslem women? There’s a quite considerable women’s movement going on.
    Of Reactions to a Lecture She Gave to an Audience of Muslim Women
    I discoursed to them on the ancient history of Iraq and modern excavation. Some of them listened and some didn’t—they haven’t got the habit of attention. But they’ll have to learn it. [January 30, 1924]
    Of Her First Meeting with King Faisal’s Wife and Daughters
    Just think of the life they’ve all led, imprisoned in the Mecca palace with a pack of women and slaves! Just to sit on their balcony and see the Tigris flowing must be wonderful to them. [December 23, 1924 ]
    Gertrude much admired a Muslim woman who refused to submit herself to the usual Islamic rules.
    She is an intrepid woman, holds her own against her men folk and goes about in Najaf scarcely veiled. . . . [December 5, 1920]
    She is really a very remarkable woman, speaks English as well as I do and French better, and is quite free of the veil though a good Moslem. [ October 12, 1922]
    She wondered if the veiling of women might become a thing of the past, at least as a universal institution.
    May 15, 1921
    The women who have come back from Syria or Constantinople find the Baghdad social observances very trying. They have been accustomed to much greater freedom. As soon as we get our local institutions firmly established they will be bolder. They and their husbands are afraid that any steps taken now would set all the prejudiced old tongues wagging and jeopardize their future. Nevertheless these new men bring their wives to see me which is an unexpected departure from Baghdad customs, according to which a man would never go about with his wife. I welcome everything that tends in this direction but again one can do little but give sympathetic welcome to the woman. They must work out their own salvation and it wouldn’t help them to be actively backed by an infidel, even if the infidel were I who am permitted many things here.

THE MOUNTAINEER
    During the 1899–1904 climbing seasons, Gertrude Bell became one of the most prominent women climbers in the Alps. While her traverse of the Schreckhorn was officially her most important