Page 384 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1928

wrong thing. We only saw 2 hares, one was caught by the pack, about five dogs. The others I put up on a mud flat &
my two dogs hunted it. Siwa caught it in fine style. There was no rain this year so no green food which accounts for
the scarcity of hares. We hunted right across the island & then expected to meet the boat but it stuck on a mud bank &
didnt get off till after sunset. Went on board and crossed over to Budeya. Very glad to get some tea. At Budeya we
got cars & motored back to Manama leaving dogs & servants on the boat which was to come home in the morning as
the shoals are dangerous at night. Got home to dinner at 9.30. I enjoyed the day but there were too few hares.

Sunday April 8th

A violent gale blew up suddenly in the night & the curtain on the veranda came down & hit me in the eye giving me a
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black eye. Various people called in the morning, Moh Yatim, Ali bin Hussein & others. There is a lot of agitation
against the cinema, raised by the Kanoo's who are trade rivals of the cinema man, Yatim.
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Yusuf Fakroo called about pearl brokers business & Moh Zayani about motor launches. About half a
dozen of the big pearl merchants have started launches & intend going out in them to the banks to buy pearls. They
will have a great advantage being able to get about from bank to bank easily. The rest of the diving community are
against it & agitate for the Govt to forbid launches.

Motored out to see a bridge which we intend mending. Went round to the Agency after tea. Had the
Dawasir Shaikhs in about their accounts - I dislike them.

Monday 9th [April]

Court. Zayani brought in a big petition against motor launches for pearling. Meeting at the Shia Kadis about the
school, went off very well. We settled most of the questions to be discussed. Really they seem very keen on it. M & I
went out to the Shaikhs. As there were no other people in the Meglis the Shaikh, as usual, invited M to come in. I took
out the petition against launches. As we were looking over it a deputation of launch owners arrived & M had no
opportunity of retiring so sat through it for about an hour - they looked rather surprised to see her there. The Shaikh is
not inclined to prevent the launches being used. They talked for a long time about it. Afterwards motored to see some
work which the Shaikh is doing on a water channel. Smith & de G came to dinner.

Tuesday 10th [April]

Biladya meeting in Manama. Not an interesting one. A Persian Shaikh whose father is a political prisoner in Sheraz
has come to cadge for money. He wants Rs 30,000/- He is Arab by birth but they are long resident on the Persian
coast. Shaikh talked of how to help them & considered holding a public meeting. I am all against giving them
anything. Barrett is wiring to Persia to find out why he is a prisoner. One gets very tired of people cadging for money.
Called on the Sunni Kadi who talked about a certain case & also, of course, asked for more pay. As they know I am
going on leave they all ask for more pay before I go away. The Kadi was quite pleasant but they are inclined to resent
any interest in their money affairs, as they are responsible for public money the Govt has every right to look into their