Page 529 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

great deal, Abdulla winked at this meaning that it was a pose. Ibn Saoud apparently said that he had no wish
to be ruler of any place except Arabia itself, meaning that he had no ideas about Bahrain, and he had no
personal ambition and if he saw anyone else who appeared more fit to rule than himself he would gladly
retire from the scene, but as long as he did rule he would not stand any rebellion or interference from
anybody or any rebellion such as the recent one caused by Al Derwish and Ibn Hathlein. He spoke much
about the war and about the unwise action of the rebels in opposing him. Shaikh Abdulla talked about him
with a decided sneer. Of course everyone knows that he would give a lot to get hold of Bahrain but it would
be fatal for him to oppose the present British policy. For this reason I am glad that the R.A.F. have made a
base here as it will strengthen the protection of Bahrain if it is useful to the R.A.F. Went out to Idari with the
dogs in the afternoon, Barden, Walker and D.G. came round after tea. Dinner party at the Agency, really a
most amusing affair and the best I have been to here. It was a fancy dress affair. We danced, did sort of
plays and altogether had a very boisterous evening, it lasted till two oclock and in the end everyone danced
round the palm tree in the Agency court yard, to the surprise of the Agency guard. Some of the dresses were
quite amusing. M went in a Russian get up, made from various garments of her own with long white boots,
mosquitoe boots, and a fur cap made from a fur collar. I went in a very miscelaneous get up as an artist. It
was an extremly bright party altogether and very well done, two of the officers from the Patrick Stewart were
there and the captain, Marr, and Walker, were the mainstay of the party. It became at times a little "French"
and Mrs Jordan looked down her nose at some of the little charades.

February 28th [Friday]

Bank in the morning, Bridge, everyone seemed rather sleepy. Marr asked us to dinner on the ship on
Saturday but we declined having a rooted objection to going out to sea for an indifferent dinner on an
uncomfortable ship when not necessary, and very bad weather too. He seemed a little put out. Tennis and
Bridge at the Agency. Very windy day, a shamaal blowing.

Saturday 1st March 1930

Haji Sulman reported a murder in the bazaar last night, a youth who had been with some others in a room in
the main street came down and was stabbed by a man who was waiting for him at the door. The others
came out hearing a noise and found the man with a knife in his hand. He ran away, they followed him and
lost him and then the Police surrounded his house and demanded admittance. People in the house said he
was not there, the Police saw him on the roof, then someone shouted behind the house and all the Police ran
round to the back, they found it was a false alarm, ran back to the front and saw the man run out of the next
house, he got away, and though the Police chased him through the bazaar they didnt get him. The man is
well known and a very bad hat, there was some love affair which caused the quarrel. Went out in the
afternoon to the Sea Road and the Biladya garden. The stocks are quite lovely, we have one bed which is a
mass of flowers, lots of stocks, alyssum, Virginia stocks and other plants, really a sight. Dined with the
Jordans and played Bridge, didnt go out to the boat, the others did and it was very rough. The Jordans went