Page 217 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

215

1927

Got a lot of office work done as there was no Court & in the afternoon went over to Muharraq to see the wells. A bad
state of affairs, four of Holmes' artesian wells have almost completely dried up. Did a sort of tour of the town & inspected
them. The town is very dirty & badly needs doing up & a proper Municipality. Drank coffee with one of the old Shaikhs, a
messy old man a great friend of Sh Isa's the two old gentlemen go ⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅⋅ ⋅ every afternoon in an old carriage drawn by an old
pony. Isa still professes to disapprove of cars as being too modern.

Muharraq is far more picturesque than Manama, much narrower streets & bazaars & also far more dirty. The markets
were simply crowded & one saw every sort of native, all the pearl divers are arriving now so every place is full of them.

Monday 16th May

Court in the morning. Sh Mohamed came in about his endless land cases. I get sick of them. A great many cases these days
as the Diving Season starts in about a week so everyone wants to settle up before then. Alban and I went over to Muharraq
to dine with old Shaikh Rashid the Shaikh's father in law. First went to the School then for a drive across the plain & back to
dinner; also present de Grenier, the Amir & one of the Shaikh's sons, a boy, but not a favourite son. Quite a good dinner & a
lot of fruit which is always nice. Went over in the Agency launch. Lovely night, full moon, but very hot.