Page 49 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

47

1926

Court from 7 till 9.30 a lot of cases. Very busy morning so was very late getting back to lunch, not till after 2 pm.
After tea we went out in the Land Dept. car, saw the surveyors at work mapping various gardens, & then drove to
the garden of an old man who lives near the Portugese fort who has been a tenant of the Sheikh's for fifty years.
They all want me to go out & see the gardens now hoping that I will let them off some of the rent. A pleasant place
on the sea shore. Here the gardens grow right down to the shore. Sat & ate fruit in a little shelter on carpets & then
walked round the gardens - quite nice, but one cant compare these ones with gardens at Siwa, here there is much
less variety of fruit. The driver drove badly & bumped us into a tree & M hit her forehead on the car, but nothing
serious. Pretty drive back in the dusk through several villages where we saw all the people at evening prayer in the
mosques.

Monday [7th June]

The Sheikh came in the morning but no Court as Daly went on board the boat to see off Mrs Daly. I just managed to
see her to say good bye. The Sheikh stayed over two hours in the office & I made him go over all the State accounts
for the last month - he took quite an interest in them - as well he ought to! Naturally he takes more interest in his
private accounts though. Settled a good many things with him which I had wanted for some time to discuss. Holmes
came in, he stays so long always which is a nuisance. After tea walked up to the spring & the new Palace which is
coming on well, it will be a big place & costs over a lack of rupees. There is a long avenue of newly planted trees
leading up to it. Daly & Holmes came up in a car while we were there looking at it. Came back & changed, Dr &
Geake came to dinner. Afterwards played Bridge - they are pleasant fellows, both of them. The new house is getting