Page 425 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

423

1929

bazaar and then to the Bank. Agency in the afternoon. Very stormy day and quite cold. Apparently Parke had a very
bad trip out to the boat, the sea was terribly rough and he had a lot of difficulty in getting onto the ship.

Saturday 23rd March

Court. Had breakfast early and then went over to the Agency for a council meeting on the subject of the Persian
Consul. The Shaikh, Sulman and Mohamed were there. Discussed it for about an hour, everyone was against it. The
Shaikh began in his usual silly way by saying that of course if the British Government wished it he was sure it would
be a good thing, however he was talked out of that attitude by the others and then spoke sense and said that it would be
a very bad thing to have one. Drove to the Joint Court with the Shaikh and talked over a lot of business with him there,
delayed the Court a great deal. Nothing of any great importance. Came back and took my court. Very late in spite of
leaving over a dozen cases. It is very irritating when the Shaikh keeps me hanging about on a day when I have got a
court. Shaikh Mohamed was there and whining as usual about some tax that he claims to have the right to levy on the
slaughter house in Muharrak. The Municipality have taken over the work under proper supervision but he would like it
to go on in the old way, very unsanitary and dirty, and him to make a few rupees a month out of it. A mean little
creature, he is such a fussy little man yet with no appearance, always reminds me of an elderly lady given to wearing a
shawl. Went to Bilad in the afternoon and then to the Biladya garden.

Sunday [24 March]

Went up to the Fort in the morning and in office all the rest of the day seeing various people and getting on with a lot
of accumulated work. It is quite pleasant going up to the Fort in the morning in the car before breakfast. All the boys
are on the road going to the Schools, with their books under their arms quite in the English style. There are now four
schools in the town, two Persian, an Arab and a Shia one. Mohamed Sherif came to see me about the Landing
Contract. He appeared agreable to our suggestions. Busy morning. Went out in the car and took a photo at Bilad and
then the Strakers came to Bridge. De Grenier came in just when we had finished and told us that Barrett was leaving
here to go to Bushire for six months as acting Resident, and then going home on leave. I am really very sorry as he is
easy to work with, though at times very irritating. It makes all the difference to me to have an Agent who is easy to
deal with. I fear Dickson will come and I am not altogether sure that I like the prospect of him. Strong shamaal
blowing and quite cold. de Grenier stayed to dinner. He bores me terribly, socially he is not to be compared to Parke,
at all events Parke is a gentleman so one can talk in an ordinary way, but with de Grenier there is so much that one cant
say for fear of making him feel awkward, or him not understanding.

Monday [25 March]

Fort in the morning. Straker came to see me before breakfast, then Court. Finished before one so went over to see
Barrett for a few minutes before lunch. Mission tennis in the afternoon. de Grenier came in on the way back. I hope
he is not going to make a habit of doing so, it bores me. Calmer weather. Mail expected tomorrow, she is very late.
Barrett is going on her to Bushire, then coming back and then going up again to take over. Feel very sorry at his
leaving here. I wish Prior was coming here as P.A. He is the man I should like best to work with.