Page 743 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1932

Office in the morning. Went over to see Prior about the customs business, it is very complicated, we are now defying the Govt
of India by saying we mean to take 2% on direct transhipments in the harbour but there was never a treaty about it only a letter
from Sh Isa to the then P.A. The whole thing is now very complicated. Went up to see the Shaikh in the afternoon and had
people to tennis here, Prior dealt with them as I was away, he and the two from the Triad came and also Russell and the doctor.
The Shaikh had a very full Meglis, about 100 shenzi looking Bedus sitting down each side of the room and a few callers from
the town. He had a man there who had just come from the mainland, a relation of one of the local Negdis and his party had got
lost in the desert. Seven of them had died from thirst and the man who was calling on the Shaikh told how he had tied himself
onto his camel and just let it go of its own accord, the camel went off into the desert and finally halted at a water hole and the
man was saved. This happened about ten days ago, the Shaikh then told stories of camels showing how intelligent they are,
how once a man was injured and his camel went back to the camp carrying his masters headcloth to show to the others and so
obtained help, etc etc. Dined on the Triad, it was absolutely smooth and very not. Went out in the Agency launch. Very good
dinner, played Bridge after but some of them played roulette. Quite enjoyed it except the awful heat at dinner which was in the
cabin. Skinner was there and enjoyed it enormously. Lunched with D.G. who gave a lunch party for the S.N.O. of myself and
Prior and Skinner and the S.N.O. and Tottenham. D.G. very annoyed that I had not asked him to tennis. The S.N.O. is very
keen on china and I gather there is quite a fashion for it in Basrah.

Thursday [14 July]

Office in morning, went round to see the Sunni Kadis with Sh Sulman, D.G. and Russell came in and I went over to the
Agency to see Prior about the customs business. Slept long in the afternoon as we were very late last night and then went out
to Ain al Hakim and bathed. Prior came across after dinner, hot night.

Friday 15th July 1932

Ham has given up having people to the Bank for Bridge on Friday mo rnings, there are so few and usually someone doesnt turn
up which means that there is not a four to play. Went along to see D.G. in the morning about some business and to the Agency
as usual in the afternoon. The two Marconi men from Ajair were there, the more I see them the less I like them, one is a large
bearded blustering fellow called Boucicault who says he is a relation of a well known author of the name. They have now
done their wireless job on the mainland and are going to Jhedda. The Haenggis turned up at tennis, he always seems very
sulky, possibly shyness. Hot evening and very dusty.

Saturday [16 July]

Public Holiday as it is the Birthday of Mohamed, as a matter of fact I dont suppose he ever knew what day he was born as none
of these Arabs ever know such a thing even in these days. The Shaikh sent for me in the morning so after breakfast I went up
to the Palace to see him. There was nobody there. Stayed about an hour, he talked of various things, he is going out to Sakhrir
for a week or so tomorrow and asked me and Prior to dine with him tomorrow evening out at a place called Amr beyond
Sakhrir as he has built a house out there and this is to be a sort of housewarming. He also talked of going down to India for a
month, he invited me to come too, but it was rather inopportune as I had just been pointing out to him that his finances are in
the usual bad condition and at the moment he owes about twenty thousand rupees. He said he would only go during the time