Page 254 - Records of Bahrain (3) (ii)_Neat

670 Records of Bahrain

and Shoikli Easa, not. realising thut X luiow all tho circumstuncoo,
himself told mo that thoy had boon obligod to have my prodoooooor
removed, I was also told by other porsono that tho samo thing had
onoo boforo happonod to Captain Maokonzie, though I was not told on
what grounds.
On my third visit to Shoikh Easa, ho ohoorfully informod mo that
ho lived, as it were, under the wing of a sort of "Guardian Angol"
inasmuch as anyone who failed to fall in with his wishes, in any way,
invariably camo to a bad ond.. Ho thon proooodod to oito instances of
persons who had mysteriously died, or beoomo ruinod, and which ho
attributed to their having at somo tirao displeased him. Bhoikh Easa
is completely in his dotage, ana is dominated by his wife, Sheikh
Abdulla*s mother, who invariably coaches him in what to say. Onco
he has delivered himself of his losson, ho rojftlapsos into infantile
conversation, ana is wholly incapabl^ of grasping any mattor put to
him. Ho is so much under the thumb of the lady ana Shoikh Abdulla,
that he will hoar no accusation against tho latter ana tho few persons
who havo had the temerity to inform him of his son's misdoods, havo
invariably sufferred his aispleasuro ana consoquont spiteful ^engoance.
Tho Qhiof Qadhi, Sheikh Easa’s eldest friend, ana perhaps tho only man
who can safely speak out to him, has constantly in writing, ana at
interview, informed him of spocific cases of want^on oppression, but
has failed to make an impression.
In tho interval between tho departure of my prodocossor ana my
arrival, Sheikh Abdullu and the Socrotary, scandalously rais-raanuged
tho Municipality, and tho council was so cowed, that its moetings had
becorao a farco. No mombor coulu be induced to say more than "whatover
the President advises I agree to", but ono and all explained to me,
that this was from fear, and that they bitterly resented the position,
«*nd the many injustices which wore being porpotrated in their nuraes.
Somo time after my arrival matters began to ome to a hoad. Whole
oommunities of Bahrain Subjects applied to be put under British
protection, and practically oYory porson of importance complained of
oppression and cited specific examples. I discussed matters with
&heikh Abdulla, who was clever enough to gaugo the situation, and
Persuaded his father to allov&im to rosign from public affairs, in
1 favour