Page 588 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

home at once, he even suggested his going on Tuesday but that couldnt be done. Parke came in after dinner
but we had not had ours, he stayed ages and then sat with us while we dined, rather a tiresome form of visit.
Court in the morning. Went out to near Aali to settle a boundary case in the afternoon. Stayed there some
time and walked over a lot of gardens, the boundaries between gardens are terribly difficult to unravel
especially as the owners never know the boundaries themselves and leave it all to their tenants. Quite
pleasant out there and quite cool but driving back into the town one seems to come into a damp hot blanket,
one can cut the atmosphere with a knife.

Sunday [31 August]

Customs. James ill. Went to see Walker in order to talk about passages home for J and M. Had a
consultation with Dr Dame and Dr Todd in the afternoon. Dame was all against sending him home so
decided not to do so at present. Drove out in the evening and had dinner with the Jordans, Walker and
Barden were there, played Bridge and lost as usual. We have gone down heavily again this month, queer
how one varies. The doctors seem to think James has either typhoid or malaria. The Jordans house is quite
comfortable and they had a most excellent dinner.

Monday [1 September]

Shaikh Abdulla came to call about the Siadi case. Court. Motored along the Budeya road in the evening.
Fahad al Bassam came to tea. He had been having fever and looked very ill. The Jordans came in in the
evening. Hottish weather but much cooler at nights.

Tuesday [2 September]

Didnt go to the Biladya meeting. Hot day and very damp. The down mail arrived with Pack on board. I went
to the Customs and saw him in the distance. Jordan came round and stayed some time. Wrote a lot of
letters among them one about the Shaikh's wish that he should be known by a different title, not "Deputy
Ruler" but what corresponds to "Prince of Wales". Three men ill with bad eyes in my Land Department, very
awkward. Tennis at the Mission. James a little better. Khalifa bin Sulman, one of the shaiklings who I dislike
most, came in the morning and talked very unsuitably to Mohamed Khalil who promptly reported it to me.
He is a horrid little man who I always think of as the "black dwarf" he is first cousin and also half brother to
Shaikh Sulman, his mother married the shaikh after his father died, these relationships are so very confusing.

Wednesday 3rd September 1930

Went up to see the Shaikh in the morning, Abdulla came in first and we discussed the diving question and
also the case of Siadi and a difficult case about the other old Kadi who is blind and has really retired. A man
made a claim against him supported by receipts with his seal on it, the Kadi repudiated the claim and said his