Page 409 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

407

1929

Thursday 31st [January]

Court. A swarm of locusts appeared. The gardener and a lot of helpers beat drums and made fires in the garden to
scare them away which it seemed to do. Left the Court early and motored out to lunch with the Shaikh at Sakhrir. He
was entertaining the Captain and first officer of the French sloop Diana which arrived here yesterday. I caught them up
on the plain below Rafaa just before they got a puncture and so was able to take them on with me to the Shaikhs.
Rather a dull party, the only other person there was Barrett. Very tough meat for lunch. As we drove out the locusts
beat against the front of the car like hail and I was glad I had it shut as otherwise it would have been difficult to drive.
The Shaikh was rather bored by the Frenchmen and when after lunch they suggested his coming back to tea on the ship
he said very decidedly that he would rather not. Barrett told him that he ought to but the French Captain, who I think
knew a little Arabic, said it was very windy and might be rough so he hoped the Shaikh would do what he liked. He
didnt go. The Captain was a little dark man in a blue suit and rather tired looking spats, talked English badly. The
other fellow, Rostand, was a nephew of the playright and very nice, tall and extremely good looking with red hair and
red whiskers. He talked English very well. Coming back he drove in my car. We went to see the tombs at Aali and
also to Idari and then took them to the Customs where a lot of the sailors were waiting about. Drove home and then out
with M for a few minutes to get some air. People came to tea and Bridge. Hot stuffy day, south wind. A mongoose
was found in the hen house but fortunately did no harm but I think that explains why we have had so few eggs. De
Grenier is unwell with a cold. The locusts did very little damage to the garden. Mail arrived with two lots of papers in
it.

Friday [1 February]

Went out a drive in the morning and then to the Bank where we played Bridge, Dr Holmes and the Strakers were there.
Drew in the afternoon and then went to tennis at Agency. Played with Mrs Barrett and the Doctor so the Bridge was
bad, I won, however, quite a lot. Stayed till ten past eight, while we were still saying good bye the boy rung the bell,
loudly. The Barretts I fancy live rather under the thumbs of their servants.

Sunday [Saturday 2 February]

Court. Took some of the cases which I had left over last time. Went out with Mohamed Khalil to Senobis and to Aali
in the afternoon. Called on the old Kadi. His son has died suddenly in Katif, on the mainland, and the old man wants
to go there to see about his son's affairs. I felt very sorry for him as he was very upset and very pathetic. Ahmed bin
Khamis sat by him all the time and kept on laughing and saying that he would go with him to see that he came back.
Personally I dont think the old man wanted to come back as he would not say definitely that he would return, only
"Inshallah which is vague and means a lot of things. In a way it will simplify things if he goes away alltogether. Went
to Aali and had a good look at the lime kilns and the place where they make pottery. Quite interesting. Took coffee in
the houses of two men, I had to go to both as if I went only to one the other would be offended. There are two opposite
factions in Aali and these were the heads of each one. Looked at a date garden about which there was a dispute. Got
back quite late, after sunset. I have taken on a new personal fidawi, a sort of attendant, a young Arab whose brothers
are serving the Shaikh and whose people have been followers of the Shaikhs for several generations. One of the
chickens hatched out her eggs, nine out of ten. Ali bin Hussein came in the evening, he was full of complaints at the