Page 827 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Fort, beat several people among them the man who escaped. He wont try to get away again in a hurry.
Manama Biladya meeting. Gastrell attended. Quite a good meeting, discussed filling in ground inside sea
road, making a leper hospital, a foundling hospital & various other things. Afterwards Zainal Kozaibi & Zayani
called & asked me to intercede about Khalil Bakr, they all said he deserved what he had got, and more, but
they came because they had been pestered to do so by his family. In the morning I had marched him right
through the bazaar past all the officers with a policeman, in chains, which caused a great sensation. Hot day,
slept in afternoon. Mrs Steele came in the morning with Billy & he & James tried on their page dresses for
the wedding. Motored up Rafaa hill with Mrs Steele in afternoon. Denison came in the "Bideford" & came to
call in the evening, Gastrell came over too & we arranged about visits tomorrow. Abdulla b Jabr came round
in evening to fix up about the calls.

Wednesday 25th [October]

Denison called on the Shaikh at Muharraq, I went with him & Gastrell. He had never seen Muharraq & was
interested. Then I went with the Shaikh & Muhammed to return the call on the ship & came back with
Gastrell. Stayed some time at the Agency looking over some letters. Tennis in the afternoon, some of the
Navy came & there seemed a great crowd of people. A party at the Agency in the evening. Quite a good
party, Steele & Mrs Gastrell acted a little play, she was very good indeed but he didnt know his part. Danced
& also played the advertisement game - a very old one here.

Thursday October 26th

Fort & office in morning, then we all went out to lunch with Shaikh Mohammed in his garden, M & I & James
& Nanny and the Gastrells. It was very pleasant, we sat under some huge trees that looked very English,
tamarinds, on the edge of a stream with a vista of green trees beyond. The lunch was the usual sheep and
bread and dates, quite well cooked. Mohammed, who is usually so sticky, was quite affable and chatty.
James behaved very well and after lunch he played about in the stream and much enjoyed it. Mohammed
gave us a big basket full of fresh green limes, pomegranetes & bananas, & white loz, a sort of big almond that
tastes a little like an apple. In the evening we dined on the Bideford where we had a most excellent dinner.
Denison certainly looks after himself very well. Afterwards we sat on the deck and talked & listened to the
gramaphone.

Friday [27th October]

Went down the bazaar in the morning. Planted seeds in afternoon & then went to the Agency tennis. It was
quite cold. In the evening we had Denison, the Russells & the Dames to dinner. At times the party was a
shade heavy. There was a good shamaal blowing & Denison said he very nearly didnt come off, I never knew
anyone more nervous than the Navy about rough weather. Miss Savidge made her appearance at Agency.

Saturday [28th October]