Page 305 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

303

1927

Telegram from M at Baghdad.

Finally finished winding up the Khalifa Estate case, it had been going on for 26 years & the estate was worth about £30,000 all
gardens & land. Paid out the various heirs & gave them their papers for their share of gardens. A lot of office work, very busy
morning. Went to garden after tea & tried the new mowing machine. The grass is bumpy so it does not go very well. The son
of Abdel Rahmen Zayani was brought round, a sort of prodigal son who wont go home to his father. Talked to him &
eventually sent him back. Zayani has had a lot of trouble over him & I have tried to settle it. Then a fellow came in &
reported that some rifles had been smuggled in, but I dont believe it. Then Parke came to dinner. A busy day!

Wednesday October 5th 1927

Went to Sitra island in the morning with Shaikh Sulman to settle a question about water rights of a garden bought by Sh.
Mohamed. He bought it a year ago & it has not been settled yet. Went across in a boat. Sulman took about 20 men. He is a
fat little stumpy man with a black beard & no manner but fancies himself very much as being the Shaikh's eldest son. Its a
very pretty island, many fine springs & very good date gardens. All the water from the spring is divided into 14 divisions per
week & each garden gets a certain amount. This division was made centuries ago and nobody really knows the correct division
except the Bahraini tenants. The garden owners dont know them at all. Finally settled the matter after consulting all the old