Page 580 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

getting away from the office for a whole day and also liked having a good gossip with Abdulla bin Jabr who
told me several bits of interesting news.

Sunday 3rd August

The Shaikh came in in the morning, asked all about the trip to the island. He always takes a great deal of
interest in ones doings. He was in very good form. Lot of office work, the mail left in the early morning. The
tutor and young Abdulla, one of the Shaikh's sons were in for a long time, the boy is going down to India to
see an oculist and the tutor goes with him and then takes his leave and does not come back. He was not
much good and cost us a lot of money. Had a long meeting in the morning about a land proclamation which
we issued lately, a number of people made a petition objecting to it. Played Bridge at the doctor's in the
evening so didnt get out. Played very badly and went down a lot.

Monday [4 August]

Shaikh Rashid came in. Court. Very hot day, they say two people died in the bazaar yesterday from the heat.
It is much hotter than last year. James is getting six teeth at once so not feeling very well and very fractious
and off his food. Motored to the site of the new well and back by Gedhafs. Prior came in to dinner.

Tuesday 5th August

Some of the Beyrout boys came to see me in morning, busy day in office. Prior came to breakfast before
sailing, he took a huge party, three ponies and about six syces and hangers on. Went to Mespers in the
morning to see Walker. Very hot weather and horribly damp.

Wednesday 6th August 1930
One of the flying boats came to see the markings which we had done on the aerodrome. Went up to the
Palace in the evening to see the Shaikh who is going out on a hunting trip for ten days or so. In the morning
Jabr bin Masellem and Abdu Ali came to call and asked that the time of the close of the diving season should
be prolonged. They argued that they all started late owing to the trouble with the divers at the beginning of
the season. They said that the merchants at present just hadnt got the money to pay the mid season
advances so they asked for that to be put off awhile too. The position is worse this year than it has ever been
known to be before. M's birthday, she and James went a drive while I was at the Palace. The Shaikh and I
discussed the question of the pearling season and he seemed rather loath to alter it, undoubtedly the divers
will be very angry about it but I consider it is partly their fault. Tried again to persuade The Shaikh to gift
something to his son Khalifa, the son of Ayesha, he doesnt like the boy much and is very unfair to him, he
rather grudgingly agreed. He asked me to go out hunting again on Sunday, a great bore and I shall try and
find an excuse when it comes to the time. He means very kindly of course. After dinner he went out to