Page 357 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1928

Closed the office. A number of merchants came to call in the morning also various other people, clerks & others.
Shaikh Isa & the Shaikhs called at the Agency. I went across. Old Isa is not a lively caller, he never makes a remark &
when he is there Hamed never talks. They all sat on chairs in the big Agency drawing room looking very stiff &
dressed up. When they were leaving Bray asked if he could take a photo of them & fortunately I had my camera there
& took a couple too. It is not easy to get a photo of Shaikh Isa so I very much hope mine turns out well. Bray also
took a cinema picture of them. Afterwards Shaikh Ibrahaim came in to talk about the money affairs of his son who the
Govt paid for to send to Beyrout University. Stayed a long time. Then we went over to call at the Agency, the
Spences, Parkes & the Mission all there, it is the usual custom on New Years Day & on the King's birthday. Went out
to Idari in the afternoon & met various people about the work on the water channel. Major Holmes came to tea
bringing young Hussein, son of Ali Yatim, who is to go to school in Brighton. He seemed a nice boy, only just eleven
& not very robust in appearance. Talked English quite well & after a few minutes was not shy. Holmes brought his
silugi to show us, bred from one which the Shaikh gave him which he took home & then bred from. I am rather sorry
for the Ali Yatim boy, it will be such a tremendous change for him, he has never been out of Bahrain; never been on a
ship or seen a train & his old grandfather with whom he lives is a very old fashioned Arab. Mohamed, brother of Ali
who died, has now returned & is going to marry his brother's widow, as is the custom, to keep the money in the family.
I hear she doesn't fancy him as he is a bad Mohamedan, eats pork & drinks & not thought well of here.

Monday 2nd Jan.
Court, 29 cases. The mail arrived, not much. Few people seem to write to me nowadays. I wish they would. Tennis
at the Mission in the afternoon. The Captain of the boat was there also two passengers, a man from a sugar firm in
China & a fellow who used to be ADC to Governor of Bombay going home on leave. Exceedingly hot & stuffy in the
Hakkens tiny room, all the windows shut, almost pitch dark, foul tea, sandwiches tasting of sugar & meat & cheese,
mixed, & over sweet cakes.

Tuesday [3 January]

Biladya meeting. The Shaikh very late as the tide was awkward & he came from Muharrak. As he didnt come we
carried on. Barrett has decided only to attend once a month & didnt go. Went through the bazaar on the way back.
Looked at a bit of ground claimed by Ahmed bin Abdulla, one of the Dawasir Shaikhs. He wants us to give it back or
compensate him. Interviewed Mohamed Sherif about a bit of ground near his house. The Shaikh & I saw Fadl b
Mohamed about the case of the girl being married about which there was so much fuss in the summer.

Played another round of the tennis tournament. Beaten by Hakken & Dame. Afterwards went to the
garden. Marjorie went to dinner with the wife of Abdel Rahman Zayani. They had over 100 dishes for five people
including Mrs Parke & Mrs Barrett. Entirely a female party.

Wednesday 4th Jan.
Motored out to Sakhrir in the morning. Quite cold going out, but warmer on the way back. Owing to there having
been practically no rain the middle of the island looks all dull, no green or grass this year.