Page 392 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1928

outside the house watching the dancing. It was quite a fine sight though some of the young Shaikhlings looked rather
silly prancing round with swords in their hands. Sat there for some time looking on. There were some gorgeous
clothes and some lovely silver mounted rifles and swords. Every few seconds the dancers fired off their rifles and there
was such a smell and smoke from the firing that it made ones eyes smart. I wished I had taken my camera. It was
really very picturesque, such a mass of colour and the white buildings and the minnaret of a mosque for the
background. The Shaikh wore a long coat of thick gold thread and a brown abba over it and a very golden head band,
his clothes are becoming more and more gorgeous. All the others were very brilliantly dressed, many wearing orange
cloth embroidered with gold. Some wore vivid green. After some time the Shaikh went inside to his Meglis and I,
Abdu Ali and bin Khamis, also Shaikh Sulman, the Shaikh's eldest son, accompanied him. We sat down inside. The
Shaikh talked for a long time about things of no importance, had some hawks sent for to be admired, and then got
down to business. He made a long very good speech and then talked about the appointment of a new Kadi. He agreed
that it would be a good plan to have three, as long as none of them were foreigners. All the time Abdu Ali and Ahmed
bin Khamis made remarks at eachother usually running down people who the one knew to be a friend of the other. I
sat by Abdu Ali and Shaikh Sulman sat by Bin Khamis and when they grew violent and flung their words, and arms,
about we just collared hold of their arms and forcibly quietened them. At last we got it settled that there were to be
three Kadis and a meeting was to be held on Saturday to discuss the candidates. Said goodbye to the Shaikh and went
on to the meeting of the Municipal Council. Arrived just before it was over in time for a discussion about a question of
some rights over the slaughter house claimed by Sh Mohamed. Muharrak is the home of the Shaikhs and many of
them have ancient and very unfair rights which dont suit modern conditions and which make it difficult for the
Municipality to work. Came back in a sailing boat. Parke has caught one of the men who was in the raid on Senobis
on the morning that I went to India two years ago. There is a great deal of excitement on the subject and everyone
wants him to be beheaded!! They seem to think that a trial is quite unnecessary. They say that if we do not like to do it
we can send him over to the mainland and Ibn Saouds Governor there will be delighted to do the job for us.
Unfortunately he is a foreigner and so comes under the Agency's jurisdiction and I cant imagine Barrett ever giving
anyone the death sentence.

Went over to the Agency when I got back to see Barrett. Went out in the afternoon with Mohamed Khalil
to see the site of the new Shia school. Afterwards went out to Suk al Khamis and climbed to the top of the minnaret.
A wonderful view. Put in some seeds. The others I put in are doing well. Haji Fahad al Bassam came round before
dinner for an hour, a nice old man and a great gossip. He considers himself quite one of the family and often drops in
in the evening. He told me that Shaikh Abdulla had carried off a married woman and has kept her in his house for two
months, quite a scandal for the President of the Municipal Council. Also said that everyone was laughing at all the
show that the Shaikhs are making over these marriages and the people say its all very well but the Shaikhs are a thing
of the past, English are really the bosses here.

Wednesday 14th November

Had a meeting of the Shia School this morning. It went off quite well. We telegraphed to Bagdad for a teacher and
decided to start it as soon as possible in a temporary room. Afterwards we went out to see the site of the new building.
Went up to the Palace Garden and the Biladya with Mohamed Khalil. They have not much growing in either as all the
seeds were spoilt by the rain. Didnt get back till nearly lunch time. Afterwards we went over to Muharrak to the
wedding of young Abdulla, the Shaikh's sixth son. Quite a good show. Mrs Straker and Straker came too and de G,
Parke, Dr Holmes, Smith and later on Barrett. Mrs Barrett didnt come. We motored out onto the plain behind the town
arriving just after the Shaikh. Hundreds of Arabs were there in two long lines with an avenue between them. In front