Page 323 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

320

1927

Shaikh looked very well. Sir Denys Bray is tall, about my size rather a pink face & clean shaven, reminded me of an American
millionaire, very clever looking. The P.R. lame with a bad leg extremely pompous & seemed rather stiff. Also present Barrett
& Parry, the S.N.O. Came back & about ten minutes later the personages arrived. Salutes, guard of honour with the
Superintendent in charge. They looked very smart indeed. Got into cars & motored into the pier shed through thick crowd
who were with difficulty kept back by Police. Settled down on the platform the Shaikh with P.R & Bray on each side then
Abdulla, the S N O, Kanoo, Alban, Barrett, PR's secretary & myself. The English people sat on the left below the platform, M
& Mrs Holmes in the middle. Coffee, served by the Shaikh's servants in orange coloured coats wearing their daggers, speeches
- about ten, by all the leaders of the different communities but the crowd outside & some people inside made so much noise
that one could hear nothing. The two swords of honour were presented. Neither Bray or P.R. seemed in the least interested &
neither spoke at all at the end, it would have been so much better if they had. Got into cars again, I drove infront of Shaikh's
car & he had Bray, Barrett & PR inside. Went very slowly through the bazaar to Municipal Building but didnt go in, then
down to the sea road & round to the garden, met there by 20 of the Shaikhs servants on ponies with two of his young sons
riding. Then motored out to Idari & back. Parry & Basalgetti stayed with us, the former we knew before, both very nice.
Changed & went to the Banquet. Wore my miniature medals. Really a fine show. Lights all over the Palace & about 150
people, guests. First sat in the big Meglis, drank coffee & talked. M & Mrs Spence the only women, a lot of the ship's officers
& all the Europeans in Bahrain. Dinner outside on the veranda, in Arab fashion sitting on the floor without plates or knives or
forks. Twenty sheep, 50 chickens, tons of rice & lots of small dishes, very well cooked. Stayed a short time & then motored
home. Sat up talking for a long time.