Page 551 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

times every minute. There is hardly any vibration which is rather wonderful. Armstrong and Parke came to
dinner and played Bridge. Parke kept on losing and so would go on playing, he stayed till after twelve and
went down a lot.

Tuesday [6 May]

Went over to Galag Bu Maher, an old fort off Muharrak which we are going to make into a Quarantine
station. Took Dr Holmes and Mohamed Khalil. We met Shaikh Abdulla there and had a good look at the
place. The people who live there are mostly servants of Shaikh Isa so rather difficult to dislodge. Very hot on
the island but pleasant on the sea coming back and going. Had people to tea and tennis. They had the
engine working for some time and we put on our lights to see how they looked, extremly nice. Didnt go to
the Biladya, they are having some trouble about a broken contract they seem to think that they can do as
they please over such things just because they are the Biladya. After I got back from Muharrak I went in the
launch round the sea wall to see how it is lasting it seemed in very good condition. The town from the sea
looks very attractive, but the nearer one gets the uglier the houses, they are neither one thing or the other,
not definitely oriental or anything else, the wide verandas with square openings and lines of pillars are very
ugly, there are practically no arches. Jordan gave out letters of invitation for his dinner at the opening day of
the Power House, he missed Parke as he really had not meant to ask him, Parke picked up one of the
invitations and asked if there was not one for him, so awkward, Jordan pretended it had been left in the
office but nobody believed it.

Wednesday 6th May 1930 [7 May]

Went down to the Joint Court. Two cases which I had to explain, one against a horrid little Shaikh called
Khalifa bin Sulman who has been stealing wakf property. I dislike him more than any of the others, and there
are several of them who I dont care for. Shaikh Mohamed was there. Discussed the question of old Shaikh
Abdel Latif, the head of the Dawasir, who is really in second childhood and a great nuisance to us all. Talked
to the Shaikh about his turning on the engine at the Power House, he is quite excited about it. Afterwards to
the Customs. We are doing very badly this year, the worst year since I came here, we are a lac and thirty
thousand rupees down on last year in Customs receipts. Hot day. I am working at the Annual Report and
doing the section on Education. It takes a long time. Motored out to the garden of Mohamed Yatim with
Major Holmes. A very pleasant place quite on the edge of the sea and very rich garden. There were masses
of cannas and oleanders.

Thursday [8 May]

Went over to the Agency and had a meeting between Shaikh Mohamed, Ali bin Hussein and Kellow the
Contractor about Biladya affairs. All got very angry and excited. In the end it was decided that if he had a
claim he was to make a case. Went. Siadi, one of the big pearl men, called. He was very nervous about the
chance of a riot when the amount of the diving advances is announced as last time they raided his shop.