Page 576 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Sunday [20 July]

Prior came to the office in the morning to complain that Parke was not dealing with the Mohamed Sherif
case properly, he seems to have made a great muddle of it. Parke himself came round later and we
discussed it with our wakil and the Head Clerk of the Customs. I doubt if we have much of a case. Then
Parke and I went over to the Agency and talked to Prior about it. Parke came round in the afternoon, he was
very apologetic about having made such a mess of the case and kept on saying it was all his own fault, that
made it all the worse but he said it as if that was a sort of excuse. Holmes came in to tea to say good bye. He
is going on 4 months leave. The new doctor is very black an Anglo Indian, however he seemed quite pleasant
when I met him at the Agency. Had tea with Major Holmes at the Portuguese Fort. It was very pleasant out
there and as usual he provided a most excellent tea. There is something the matter with my typewriter.

Monday [21 July]

Court. Started on a big bankrupcy case, one of the Zayanis. The man owed about 50,000 and his total assets
were worth about 1200 rupees. It is amazing how the people here go on giving credit to people who are
already heavily in debt. Went out in the car after tea to the Biladya garden, the aerodrome and then out to
Suk al Khamis. Abdu Ali came to call after dinner and stayed a long time talking. He is seventy years old and
says he has never known such a bad year as this for pearls. There is absolutely no trade at all.

Tuesday [22 July]

Customs. Holmes came in. Parke came in when I was at the Customs, I am sending him out for a couple of
days to sea in a launch to inspect the pearling boats and see that all of them have papers etc. He seems quite
to like the idea of going out, now I would hate it! Very blowy day and nice and cool. M was not well and
stayed in bed. I motored out to the old aerodrome with Holmes and Mohamed Khalil and had a look at a
place where we think of boring a well. Didnt get back till after dark. Called at the Jordans on the way home
and dined with walker at Mespers. Bridge, just a four.

Wednesday [23 July]

Leased the Shaikh's markets in the morning. There were about half a dozen people bidding and eventually I
got them up to Rs 30,000 to the man who had it last year. The bidding was then closed but as usual about an
hour after we had signed the agreement one of the other men returned and said he would give Rs 500 more,
I tore up the letter and told him the thing was closed, these people have no idea of playing fair in things like
this. The man who tried to cheat over it is a foxy little Persian called Abdel Nebi Bushiri. He went up to the
Shaikh in the evening also and said I had leased the market to a lower bidder than him. In the evening I went
out with Major Holmes in his car to Mohamed Yatim's garden, we sat there some time, it is very pleasant out
there. M didnt go as she was still rather seedy and had a bit of fever. Mohamed Yatim was there. There is
masses of pale pink oleander in the garden, a very pretty single kind. The Shaikh came in after the Joint
Court which was very short.