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intelligent than Shaikh Hamed, but a real bad hat, absolutely unscrupulous & frightfully jealous of Hamed being the
Sheikh. He is responsible for a lot of mischief & said to have done quite a number of murders. He's a short man with a
black pointed beard, & looks rather like a stage villain, always very well dressed & well attended. He had all his
horses & camels out there, some good camels.
Thursday 30th [29th July]
Daly & the Sheikh's joint Court. The Sheikh wants his kinsman in prison to have special treatment, not to wear convict
clothes or to do any work, & to have food from the Palace! He seems to forget that the man was responsible for
murders. Of course it wont be done. The Sheikh in his private Budget has Rs 750 per month for "largesse" & has
spent it all! Ten more days to go. All on account of his lavish entertainment & the son of the Sheikh of Mohammerah.
It is not always easy keeping him down to the amount laid down in his "Private Income Budget". He signed the State
Budget & the Sea Wall Contract & seems pleased with both. Got the Dr to come along to see M. He says she has got a
touch of malaria. Her prescribes quinine in large quantities, & its very nasty & makes one feel very seedy. Went a
drive in the evening. Daly had a wire approving of Parke for the Levy Corps job, he was coming up to see us about it
in the evening but got a puncture so didnt come. Car makes queer noises! I am beginning quite to dislike it. I have no
turn for engines & mechanical things. Still wonderfully cool, for the end of July. Only two more hot months now -
thank goodness.
Friday 30th July