Page 501 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

499

1929

Friday [29 November]

Drove out in the morning and didnt go to the bank. Worked in the garden and put in a lot of Virginia stock seedlings
from the Biladya, it makes a nice border plant. Very stormy looking day. Played on the Agency Court in the afternoon
with Parke and Barden and then went to the Fort for Bridge. Rain in the night. It has been very gray and cloudy lately
and the rain is near. The garden is looking better, the seeds are coming up at last, that is the second sowing. I planted
much too early this year, it doesnt pay.

Saturday [30 November]

Busy morning in the office. Motored out in the afternoon and afterwards Parke and de Grenier came in to call.

Sunday [1 December]
Went down to the Customs in the morning and then in the office. Jordan went on the up boat to Shiraz and is to return
on the same boat on its downwards voyage. Had a long talk with him about the electric work. They are putting in the
lamp posts along the streets. They are very tall and very ugly but they do make the place look more civilised
somehow. Went out to see the Shaikh at Sakhrir in the afternoon. Went over the programme of the P.R's visit. The
whole affair seems to bore him. Talked about various things. Shaikh Mohamed was there, very effusive and evidently
up to some mischief. During the hawking season it is impossible to get an hours talk on end with the Shaikh. He
always has several hawks in the room, or if outside sitting on their pegs infront of him and his attention is on them the
whole time. Very pleasant out at Sakhrir and nobody there. I am not surprised that the Shaikh likes the place as he is
not bothered there by constant visitors as in Manama or Muharrak. Wonderful sunset. There was a little rain in the
night but the roads were quite good. Wonderful sunset as we drove back from Sakhrir. This season just before the
rains is the time for the best sunsets here. Went over to see Prior in the evening. He is better now, out of bed, but still
looks very pulled down. The beard which he has lately grown puts on several years to his age, it doesnt become him.

Monday 2nd December 1929

Court. The Shaikh and Mohamed came in in the afternoon to call on Prior. They would have come in here but I went
out to the corner of the road to meet them and took them straight to the Agency. Much talk about some Arabs who
want to come to Bahrain from Dohar. The Shaikh wants them to come yet is afraid of annoying the Shaikh of Dohar.
Unfortunately he wrote to the Shaikh of Dohar and asked if he had any objection to his subjects leaving him, the
Shaikh very naturally replied that he had. We are now telling them verbally that they can come and not writing any
more letters. Shaikh Mohamed began about the pearl case. He is a poisonous little man and his in laws are apparently
dealers in false pearls. Prior was having none of it and told him very plainly what he thought of the case and that he
was lucky to have got off so lightly. Dined at Mespers, we had been going to the Mission for tennis but as usual
delayed by the Shaikh. Quite pleasant at Mespers, Mrs Jordan is staying with them. Had some good bridge.