Seven Pillars of Wisdom · Chapter
LXIV explained
Lawrence describes the formation of a small, fractious raiding party from various tribes, their march toward Mudowwara station, and the decision to abort the attack due to insufficient strength and internal discord.
What happens
Lawrence describes the formation of a small, fractious raiding party from various tribes, their march toward Mudowwara station, and the decision to abort the attack due to insufficient strength and internal discord.
Themes in this chapter
War and Guerrilla Tactics
The chapter details the planning and reconnaissance for a raid on Mudowwara, highlighting the challenges of surprise attacks and the use of explosives.
Honor and Deception
Lawrence navigates tribal honor and distrust, using diplomacy to hold the fractious party together while concealing their weakness.
Suffering and Endurance
The harsh conditions of the desert march, including foul water and limited supplies, test the endurance of the raiders.
Characters to notice
- T.E. Lawrence
Assumes direction of the raid despite misgivings, mediates between tribal factions, and ultimately decides against attacking Mudowwara.
- Ibn Zaal
Leads the Nowasera contingent; recognized as the most intelligent and experienced warrior, but his sharp tongue creates distrust.
- Emir Feisal
Provides baggage camels and body-slaves for the raid.
- Gasim abu Dumeik
Sulky and defiant, refuses to give public counsel, but some men defy him to join the raid.
- Auda abu Tayi
Referenced indirectly through Zaal's closeness to him; his clan the Howeitat are part of the party.
- Sergeant Stokes
Searches for gun positions during the reconnaissance of Mudowwara station.
- Colonel Buxton
Mentioned as leading the Camel Corps that eventually captures Mudowwara in August 1918.
Key passages
“Zaal, as ever, showed himself capable of being chief, prescient and active in all concrete preparations. He was a man of great mettle, but too close to Auda to suit the others; and his sharp tongue and the sneer hovering on his blue, wet lips fanned distrust and made men reluctant to obey even his good advice.”
Zaal was a skilled and proactive leader, but his association with Auda and his sarcastic demeanor caused others to distrust him and resist his guidance.
Highlights the tension between Zaal's competence and his divisive personality.
“My care had borne fruit, for we settled in only three parties, by bright fires of crackling, flaring tamarisk. At one supped my men; at the second Zaal; at the third the other Howeitat; and late at night, when all the chiefs had been well adjusted with gazelle meat and hot bread, it became possible to bring them to my neutral fire, and discuss sensibly our course for the morrow.”
Lawrence's efforts to manage the groups succeeded; after a meal, the leaders gathered at his neutral campfire to plan the next day's actions.
Shows Lawrence's diplomatic skill in uniting the factions.
“The Arabs explained that the Turks had thrown dead camels into the pool to make the water foul; but that time had passed and the effect was grown faint. It would have been fainter had the criterion of their effort been my taste.”
The Turks had polluted the well with dead camels, but the water was still barely drinkable, though Lawrence found it repulsive.
Illustrates the harsh conditions and Turkish sabotage.