Page 139 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1927

Meeting of town Council in morning, rather dull except for a breeze between Arabs & the Hindu member about short weight
bags of flour, and a protest against a circus - Egyptian - which is showing an acrobatic performance at which a lady walks on a
wire. The Council uttered intensely smug remarks & deplored such an indecent exhibition of bare arms & other parts. Most
of them had been to see it! The Qadi wrote several pages to say how he disapproved. They really are apalling hypocrites.
Afterwards the Shaikh told me to get out the proclamation saying that the original order about diving advances was to stand.
He then returned to Sakhrir. Ali Rejab, the leading Bahraini, talked much about the plot which he & others, & the Shaikh, are
hatching against the Shia Quadi. They propose making another one who is to oust the present Kadi. Silly to start this
business just now when we have so much on our hands. Discovered that the Shaikh during my absence actually gave
permission in writing to Kanoo to bore wells, thus, according to Holmes, breaking a clause in the well boring contract
between the Govt & Holmes' company. Shaikh Abdulla came to see me after lunch & spoke much to the point, said
Muharraq merchants are simply terrified & want more protection, they think they will be raided at any moment by a mob of
roughs, foreigners, who are making the present excitement an excuse. There was a funeral there yesterday, people heard
the mourners wailing & at once supposed the bazaar was being raided, shut up all the shops & fled!! He said it was urgently
important that the Shaikh should leave his hunting & come back. He went off to Sakhrir to persuade the Shaikh to come to
Muharraq & tomorrow Shaikh Sulman & Abdulla's son will appear abroad & in the markets with a strong party of the Shaikh's
armed retainers. Walked out to the palace, very windy day. Then old Ali Rejab called again, then the head of Muharraq