Page 319 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1927

Friday October 28th

Went down the bazaar in the morning & had a look at the decorations which are really fine. Came back early. In the afternoon
we went out early to the landing ground with Alban & made signal fires for the aeroplane which arrived at about three oclock.
A huge one with room for ten passengers. It came down very well. Hundreds of people turned out to meet it. I took a lot of
photos of it and of the Shaikh & the people looking on. All the notables of Bahrain turned up to see it & the whole Mission.
They all climbed in and out. Had all the Police & naturs out there keeping off the crowd. Afterwards tennis at the Agency.
Brenenfeld came to call in the evening to say goodbye. Dined with Alban, Smith was there & made a fourth for bridge. The
Shaikh loves being photographed & wanted me to take one of him in his new Fiat car but he wouldnt have the hood down so
couldnt do it.

Saturday 29th [October]

Went out before breakfast to see the aeroplane depart. Brenenfeld, the passenger who had hired it specially from Baghdad,
was very late. The Shaikh & everyone was out there again and a big crown of Arabs. They went off splendidly, a lovely day.
It cost £300 to Basra but as Zainal, with whom Brenenfeld works, bought £200,000 worth of pearls here it was a mere flea bite.