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1927
Sunday 17th April
Beautifully calm day, fortunately. Motored down to the Customs after an earlyish breakfast & then with Barrett & the two
airmen went out to the boat. The Spences had gone aboard last night - a queer idea I thought. M had a cabin to herself, one
other passenger on board an enormously tall soldier going up to Persia to learn the language. Came back & then Barrett & I
had lunch with Spence & Pickering. A good lunch. Ibrahaim Kamal called in the afternoon & gave me a lot of interesting
information about bin Saoud whose power is apparently on the wane as the Akhwan, his religious chiefs, have him now
under their thumb & have ordered him to do various things, wash out customs, which they say is "Haram" (forbidden) also
motor cars & telegraphs, & to forbid the Holy Carpet to come to Mecca besides the forcible conversion of the Shia
Mohomedans on the coast. He said that he would take the blame for all these things on his conscience but they would not
allow that. If he cant control the Akhwan he wont last long. Went to garden in afternoon.
Dined with Barrett, also present Spence & Pickering. Played Bridge.
Monday [18 April]
