Page 462 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

460

1929

There seemed to be hardly any people there, all the men out diving. Went across in the launch and coursed across the
island from the south. Rather hot, the doctor found it extremly hot and seemed quite overcome with it. Didnt see a
single hare but a few gazelle. Met Shaikhs Sulman and Mohamed. Went along to the camp on the shore. The Shaikh
has sunk two wells there now, one in the garden and the other in the desert some distance along the coast. The second
one is a sheer waste of money. Sat about all day and read papers. Quite a good lunch with a lot of fruit, grapes and
melons. Not very hot, to my mind, as there was a cool wind blowing all the time. Hunted again after four oclock and
went across the island by another route to where the launch met us. Got three hares and a young gazelle. Fortunately
this time it was not Siwa who caught the gazelle but one of the Shaikh's dogs. He does not allow them to be hunted by
dogs but keeps them for shooting at. He was in extremly good form, very gay and very talkative. He is always better
when he is out on his own. There were only about a dozen servants, the boys and Mohamed and Sulman and one
shaikh from Rafaa. When talking about the ex Kaiser, as he often does, he said what a comedown it was, above all
things, to be practically a prisoner of a country which was governed by A WOMAN! He seemed to think this quite a
terrible degradation. Went back to Budeya and home by car. Went in to the doctors for a drink when I got home. The
mail arrived and had closed for outward posting. Most annoying, I had thought the notice said tomorrow. Quite tired
and stiff with so much walking and running. The Shaikh constantly lately says he wants to go to England again, as the
King told him he must, and how nice it would be to go with Barrett when he goes on leave.

Monday [29 July]
Court. Sulman still at Gezireh so Mohamed bin Ali acted for him. Abdel Aziz Kozaibi came in to call, looking very
ill. He had a motor accident apparently on the way from Damascus to Bagdad and hurt his side. Short court.
Interviewed the bidders for the Shaikh's market, they have come down to two, one being Abdel Nebi Bushiri. The
Shaikh is very short sighted and for Rs 50/- is willing to take on a man who will certainly be a bad tenant. Tennis at
the Mission. Only Prior there, then bathed in Idari.

Tuesday [30 July]

Manama Biladya. Just as we were leaving the Agency the Shaikh arrived in his car. He stayed about an hour at the
Agency so we were very late for the meeting. He talked about Barrett's visit and wanted him to come to lunch.
Discussed the trial of the Khalifa people for the various murders and decided to begin tomorrow. The Shaikh didnt
seem to worry much about the matter. Dull and very long meeting mostly about ghee. A deputation of ghee merchants
appeared and argued for about an hour. Shaikh Mohamed is quite preposterous, every few minutes he submits to the
vote whether the members approve of cheating or not, naturally they say no so he then says that as they say they dont
approve of cheating it means that they therefore approve of the various measures which are being suggested. The
whole business is that people sell mixed ghee vegetable and fat at the price of pure ghee, which has no vegetable in it.
This is said to be cheating, but as the public themselves do not know the difference, even when they eat it, I dont see
that it matters much. Very late getting back as the meeting lasted so long. Bathed in Idari.

Wednesday [31 July]