Page 482 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

480

1929

Motored out to Jessra with Haji Seggar. Very windy and a lot of sand blowing, unpleasant drive and had some
difficulty in finding Budeya. Found quite a small gathering of the shaikhs in a little barasti, reed house. Sulman
looked very gorgeous in brown and gold bisht and a gold robe with gold sword and dagger. He seemed rather subdued,
having met his bride last night. The local gossip is that she is very unattractive, however she is his fifth wife, two died,
one he divorced and one he still has. Had lunch, much rather coarse joking about old Haji Seggar who married lately at
the age of about 65. The brother of the bride's father was conspicuous by his absence, a nasty fellow who drinks, one
of the few Khalifa who do. A very indifferent meal of a badly cooked sheep and some dates. The food was cooked by
Sulman's divorced wife who came over from Rafaa to do it with his daughter who lives with the divorced wife. Queer
idea, I saw the two ladies going back in their car. According to the custom we solemnly went into the nuptial chamber,
sat there a few minutes and were sprinkled with rosewater and then incense, wished the bridegroom luck and then
departed leaving him there. Motored back by another road. Tiffah the Jewess came to see me. A row in the bazaar
between her very mild inoffensive husband and a Bagdadi teacher of the Shia

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The boat came in in the early morning but could not pick up the outer buoy so stayed out at sea. Went into Mespers
before dinner and had some bridge.

Sunday [28 September]

One of the Shaikhs sons, an awful creature, was not passed in a driving test for a motor driving license. The very next
day he went out driving and ran over a little girl injuring her foot. The Shaikh ran away, terrified, leaving his car and
even his sandals, in the middle of the road, crossed to Muharraq and told his father in law Shaikh Abdulla that he
thought he had killed a girl. A bad affair. Went up to see the Shaikh and had a long talk with him. To most things
which I discussed he said "talk to Abdulla about it and do as you think best". He seems now to leave everything to
Abdulla which is dangerous as it means that Abdulla is becoming the real ruler and not Hamed. Went along to see the
work on the school and then to the Customs and Police Station. Found they had an escaped slave from the mainland
there, rather a useful looking young black. There are slaves on the mainland only seventeen miles off but if any of
them can get across here they get their freedom and a document from the Agency. Told them to keep him in the Police
station for the time being and find him a job, later we will make a Policeman of him, they are a good type these freed
slaves. I had tennis at the Agency in the afternoon, the Strakers the doctor and Barden, quite good tennis, then bridge
at my house. I wish we had a court. Dinner at the Bank, and bridge, present Bienenfeld, Ben Simon, Habib and Pack,
they talked of music and all of them seemed to be very up in it. The mail boat still sitting out at sea somewhere near
the outer anchorage, really a great nuisance, these sand fogs are fortunately very rare but when they come they are a
great nuisance. Pleasantly cool, we all wore coats at dinner. My silugi seems rather off colour, I hope it is not going to
die, I have been so very unlucky with my dogs here, but I think even out here silugis are delicate. A shaikh from
Oman, Muscat way, is arriving on the boat, a self invited guest of the Shaikhs, also Mrs Pennings of the Mission with
her children. Still very busy boring the well opposite the house, I hope they get a good water supply.

Monday 31st September