Page 615 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

bazaar and then out into the country and back by the south coast. He was very pleasant and interesting and
asked many questions about everything. There is an idea of making Bahrain a naval base and he seems to
like the idea. The secretary, a Commander Cooper, is staying with us, a very nice fellow who has been on the
admiral's staff for a long time. In the afternoon took the admiral down to call on Zayani from whom he
bought £75 worth of pearls, about half a dozen good ones. He was very interested in it all and we stayed
there till nearly dark. M went down the bazaar with the secretary and he bought some carpets. Dinner party
at the Agency and dancing, Mrs Jordan, M and Dr Tiffany were the three ladies. A poor dinner, we could have
put up a better one ourselves. I like the admiral very much, he is very easy to get on with and not at all
formal. The flag lieut. seemed rather a tiresome young man, I never caught his name. The admiral gave him
a stiff ticking off for appearing untidily dressed though as a matter of fact he had not got his kit off the ship.
Stayed very late at the Agency. Quite a warm day, M wore a thin dress in the bazaar in the morning.

Friday [28 November]

Hunting party and lunch at the Shaikh's. Went out soon after breakfast taking two of the men from the ship.
The Shaikh met the party beyond the date gardens with a big crowd of people, Shaikh Mohamed and a lot of
sons and nephews and servants with hawks. We walked across the plain some distance and very soon put up
a bustard and then another and another. To my mind it is very poor sport, the bustards are very foolish birds
and when the hawk swoops down on them instead of flying off they seem usually to run a little way and then
stand still, then the hawk swoops again and after a few efforts it catches the bird. I only saw one get away
and I think they killed about a dozen birds. The Shaikh is awfully keen on it, never I suppose having seen any
better sport. They were using two kinds of hawks, the big ones and the small dark ones. Motored on to
Sakhrir and had lunch there, quite a good meal. Came back soon afterwards and later on went to the Agency
for tennis. Dinner on the ship, we went out in Prior's launch with the Jordans, Parke and D.G. and Dr Tiffany.
As it put "decorations" on the invitations I wore tails and my medals but Parke wore a white coat, de Grenier
wore a black dinner jacket and Jordan tails and full sized medals and a black tie with a white waistcoat, until
he was seen and made to change it just as they were going. A very good dinner, afterwards we played
roulette. Tiffany was very worried at the idea of taking money, the Mission do not gamble, however
eventually she did. It was absolutely calm so I enjoyed the evening very much. The admiral is quite one of
the finest looking men I have ever met, and very nice.

Saturday [29 November]

The Triad left in the morning. Court. de Grenier and Parke came in to play Bridge after we returned from our
drive. No news whatever.

Sunday 30th November

Called on the Shia Kadi before breakfast. He was very talkative. He disapproves of foreigners being able to
buy and register land here. In Persia and Irak they are not allowed to do so. He had not much to say of any
importance but I think wanted to see me about some agitation which is being organised again to get the old
Kadi Shaikh Khalaf to return here. The people have been trying to get this done for a long time. Shaikh