Page 479 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

477

1929

very hot indeed. Shaikhs Sulman, Rashid and several others were there as well as about half a dozen merchants. Not a
very good dinner. The people all talked about the road over the sea to Muharrak, they all seem to want it very much.

Monday 16th September
Court. Very hot damp day, the summer seems to have begun again. My veranda was soaking wet from the dampness.
Very unpleasant, it seems to have brought out my prickly heat again badly, such a nuisance. Took Jordan out again in
my car and showed him some other sites, he likes a place near the Wireless station, near to Muharrak and Manama as
well. Dinner with Habib. A very good dinner. Played Bridge afterwards. Very hot and damp. Mrs Straker tore her
best dress nearly in half on a wicker chair, it is a danger, they are bad for clothes. Annoying in a place like this were
one cant get new clothes. Good Bridge, it varies such a lot according to who one plays with. D.G. is suffering from
bad boils, a complaint that many people get out here. He discusses them incessantly, even at dinner. He has one of
those unpleasantly medically morbid minds and loves details of an unpleasant description. Very late at dinner. I am
still sleeping down on the veranda as there was a spell of quite cool weather and I left the roof.

Tuesday 17th September

Very hot and damp, the summer has certainly not finished, these last days have been as unpleasant as any we have had
this year, but the nights are cool. No Biladya. Went down the town to see a house for the new girls school and then to
the Biladya and then to call on Zayani in his new house which is very nice indeed on the quay just facing the pier. Sat
some time in his Meglis looking at his pearls. He is a nice fellow, very dignified and always looks so very clean. Hot
morning. Called on Shaikh Sulman in his garden in the evening and then went round to the Customs and had dinner
there. The Strakers were there. They have sent away their ayah. I think she will be very caught in without one. It
seems that she drank, a failing which they often have, and also she frequented the bazaar too much. Very hot and
damp. Played bridge, D.G. as a partner so went down a lot. He plays abominably. No Biladya as Abdulla was out
hunting with the Shaikh at Bezireh. The Shaikh has been out for about ten days or more. I find it rather restful when
he is out as I am sure of not being sent for suddenly at tiresome times.

Wednesday [18 September]
Thomas, of Muscat, wrote to me asking me to get him an Arab camel saddle, at Muscat they use Omani ones which are
very uncomfortable. Sulman gave me one. Sent it off by the down boat. Went along to the Buladya and then took
Jordan out to the site of the power house as there was some doubt as to whether it is public or private ground. Hot
morning. Tennis at Mespers.

Thursday [19 September]
Court. A long court lasted till after half past one as we had the Siadi estate case, a matter involving about £70,000, and
very complicated. Sulman informed me that he was going to be married. He has only one wife and no sons, only a