Part 1: A Victorian, Chapters 9, 10, 11 and 12 Summary and Analysis

In the winter of 1909 Gertrude makes her first journey from Syria to Mesopotamia, armed with knowledge of surveying, map making and astronomy learned at the Royal Geographical Society. Gertrude employs a servant named Fattuh in addition to several other servants and muleteers to make the trip across the desert. Gertrude spends months documenting and photographing the ancient ruins and treasures she finds in desert cities. When she returns home, Gertrude spends eighteen months writing a new book, Amurath to Amurath, about her adventure.

In January 1911 Gertrude once more leaves England for a trip East. In May of that year, Gertrude meets junior archaeologist, Thomas Edward Lawrence, who will become known one day as Lawrence of Arabia. The next chapter notes Gertrude spending the balance of 1911 and 1912 at home in England lecturing and writing...