Page 10 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

10

1926

Thursday 8th [April]

Went down with D to the Sheikh's Court in the morning & saw the cases on the wharf which were sent along to the
house in the lorry. The court sat from 9-2 so we got back late for lunch. Quite interesting. The Sheikh looked very
bored most of the time & only became really bright when he was shown some photos of Bahrain which appeared in
the Sphere, put in by a man called Makay who excavated here for two months. Quite good ones. Met Abdulla, the
"villain of the piece" Hamed's brother. He looks a villain, a black beard & very gorgeous but more intelligent than
old Hamed. Mostly pearling cases & land rights. Went to the new house after lunch & stayed till dinner time, with
M, working hard. Unpacked all the cases & got the furniture out & arranged. It really looks awfully nice. Not a single
thing broken or damaged - but we think a packet of silver dessert forks have disappeared, which is very worrying
indeed - they are M's.

We are going to move in on Monday. We only occupy the top rooms, two big ones & a dressing room, & a roofed
place open at the sides, between them which is nice to sit in. This is rather a windy place which is a pity. Cool day,
almost cold in the evening as the "shamal" is blowing. I missed the mail the other day with several of my letters. It is
supposed to close when the boat is sighted - a tiresome system. de Grenier, the Customs man, is leaving. He seems a
thorough bad bargain, no good at all.

Friday April 9th