Page 29 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

26

1926

from the tower across the island to the sea. On the way the car, a taxi, got two punctures & while we were there it
was mended. Motored back to the Fort & had breakfast with Geake, I stayed on awhile & M went home by taxi, then
to the office where I stayed till 1.30. Several letters by the mail. Slept after lunch & afterwards went a picnic with the
Dalys taking tea to the shore of an inlet of the sea, a nice place & very pretty. Played about with Martin, the small
boy, & waded in the sea, very warm. While doing so the whole white population drifted up, by chance, de Grenier &
Holmes in a car, the Spences, Geake & Pickering on foot. Everybody obviously very cross at finding the other people
there. Motored back & went into the Dalys till dinner time. News of coal strike in Reueters.

Monday [3rd May]

The Sheikh came to my office at 8 oclock, by arrangement to see if I had any letters to sign. I had none but he didnt
go & stayed till 8.30 when feeling hungry & asked to go! About a dozen personages came with him & all the time
people kept on coming in to see him, so each time everybody had to get up - endless rounds of coffee. When I
returned at 9.30 I found my office still crowded with people but fortunately the Sheikh soon departed to the Court, &
his people followed him. Had a very busy morning owing to so much wasted time. My tin box from Cairo, the
gramophone, & the wedding presents all arrived, but we cant get them through the customs till tomorrow. Glad to
see them here.

After tea walked out to the Gardens beyond the fort. At one the servants invited us to come in & we found - Zagani,
one of the leading merchants, who showed us round it with much pride. Evidently he is a real keen gardener. His old
head gardener, a bearded individual just the style of an English gardener, came up & talked about the seasons in
dates. Afterwards he motored us to his house. Quite the best one I have seen in Bahrain & we sat in his big "Meglis"