Page 160 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1927

Court in morning. Drove out after lunch to see the Palace & then out to the new road which is getting on well & is still closed
down so we have a chance of seeing it. Stopped at a garden & got some plants of a kind of mint which I want to buy & grow
in pots. Asked Holmes & Parke to dinner but only Parke came. The Shaikh, & Abdulla, met the Kadi at the Agency, a sort of
reconciliation. I heard particulars later. Apparently both, politely, told the other what he thought of him. The Kadi sat &
jawed in such high flown language that no one understood, for about an hour & Hamed hardly got a word in edgeways. It
apparently was a successful meeting, but very comic as both knew what the other really thought about it all. The Kadi invited
the Shaikh to drink coffee with him at his house on Tuesday, the latter accepted.

Thursday 10th [February]

Joint Court also Bahrain Court, myself and Shaikh Sulman, the Shaikh's son & heir. He is a hideous little black bearded
creature but really much better than Shaikh Mohammed b. Rashid. We took about 30 cases. Tried to get the Shaikh to give a
decision in the Khalifa Inheritance case which has been going on for 26 years & involves about 200,000/- worth of property.
We have practically finished it but suddenly it has opened out again owing to an obstinate old person called Fara bin
Mohamed. Very late getting to lunch, 2.30 when I left office. Motored after lunch & then people came to tea. The Barretts
brought in the Captain of a French sloop, the Diana, & his chief officer. Mrs Spence, as usual, looked extremely sour at seeing
them here. She always expects to appropriate everyone who comes to the place. Arranged to go out with the Frenchmen to