Page 92 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1926

Marjorie called on the Queen in the evening. The old father is ill. She stayed quite a long time & had a puncture on
the way back. The Queen is really very lively & amusing. Its a pity M hasnt learnt Arabic. She took with her the
Jewish sewing woman Tiffah as interpreter, a great gossip but a good interpreter. I spent a long time in the new
house which is getting on very well indeed & will I hope soon be done. Daly's successor is Major Barratt from
Muscat, married, quite elderly I fancy. Daly knows them & encouraged him to apply. Played tennis later on after
tea. Quite good games, enjoyed it.

Sunday [29 August]

Very hot damp day, really bad, no wind & great heat. Went up to the Fort before breakfast to fix up about the
departure of the Police, at least all the Muscat Baluchis. After tea we drove out to Essex point, rather a dull day a
gray misty sky & no sunset, usually it looks very pretty out there. After dinner, just after M had gone, the doctor &
Sheikh Ali, the Agency interpreter, came in to say that there had been another shooting case. Four men came to
Sheik Ali's house & one, when challenged, shot one of the night watchmen in the arm, they evidently meant to get
Sheikh Ali. He was in a real funk about it. We live in lively times here!

Monday August 30th

Captain Perryman came to the Agency to stay, a fat rather dull man but quite inoffensive. Daly & I got anonymous
letters of a threatening nature, Daly gets them several times a month, now they have included me, very foolish things
& badly done. We shall probably trace the authors.

A Shamaal wind today which is a real treat after yesterday. Yesterday was one of the three worst days since I've been
here, simply like a hothouse, & ones clothes all soaking, & also bad prickly heat. Went up to the Fort in the evening &
punctured the tyre. The men seemed rather sulky at the prospect of being sent back to Muscat. Spent a long time
making out lists etc for their departure & so very late getting back to the Agency.

Tuesday August 31st

Got off the remainder of the L/C & Police who are to go. They seemed, like the others, quite happy & glad to get
away. The navy marched them down from Fort to pier, where I paid them. A number of ladies tried to hurl
themselves into the dhows & to go with them but were prevented, really it would be a good riddance to have sent
them off too. De Grenier as usual was full of fuss and importance. The Navy seemed quite overpowered by the heat.