Page 569 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Bombay who sold him the pearl and the Judge had found that there was no proof that the man who sold it knew that
it was a false one, this does not affect the case but they wanted us to cancel the sentence. The Shaikh is very
tiresome when he gets on to things like this as it is difficult to argue with him, if he likes he can squash a sentence but
he very rarely does so, what he wanted was for me to suggest re hearing the case or changing the sentence, I didnt
do so. Prior came in before breakfast to know what had happened to the Shaikh as he was so late for Joint Court.
Went down to the Customs. The case against Mohamed Sherif is being examined at the Agency, it seems that we
might have a case against him for some frauds in the customs so the Head clerk is attending all the hearings. Had a
long talk to Parke about passports. Prior wrote a letter complaining about Parke in his Police work, he dishes up his
cases so badly. He should know all that sort of work but does not seem to. Worked in the office all the afternoon
and went out to dinner with the Kozaibis at Rafaa. It was a dinner given for me, I dont quite know why but perhaps
because they have some big cases in the courts and think that to be asked to dinner might make me more
sympathetic to them. Very nice out at Rafaa. We sat out on the sort of terrace on the edge of the cliff looking down
into the great plain, it looked most romantic as it got dark and when the moon came up. The air out there is
deliciously cool, very different to Manama, it is never damp out on the desert part of the island. There were only a
few people there, except Europeans, all of them except the Mission were at the dinner. A most excellent and lavish
meal, inside one of the houses with tables and chairs. There were about ten courses and by the time the sixth or
seventh arrived we were all so replete that they did not bring them in. Altogether a very pleasant show and very well
done. We heard later that the ladies of the family watched us at dinner from an upper window and were much
impressed at my and M's height. Dinner was in a sort of veranda place outside one of the big rooms, the house is
square, a huge place with a separate house at each corner for the four brothers, each house is the same as the other,
two big rooms below and several upper rooms and open roofs. They live there all the year round now as the air is so
much better.

Thursday 3rd July 1930