Page 27 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1926

Busy day. The Sheikh came to the Court & we discussed arrangements for my Court, I am to hold it three times a
week with a Sheikh sitting with me, he seems an unintelligent person & very deaf. The Sheikh is delighted at the
idea of my taking cases as it will mean that he has fewer to deal with. Two boats came in, the weekly mail boat, from
Bombay, & another one from England which I hope has our cases on board. Every evening there is a sort of poetry
singing meeting in a house near. Rather attractive to listen to at night.

In the afternoon de Grenier & the Dalys came to tea. de G arrived early & brought a very nice native wooden bowl
which he presented to us - an awkward thing to do as one felt that it was bacsheesh, an inducement to buy some of
his kit which he is selling before he goes. The party was not altogether easy. de G is very talkative but is awful; &
Daly dislikes him exceedingly. de G stayed a long time & then M & I went out meaning to walk along the sea wall &
met de G at the Customs who took us into his house to show us his furniture. It is quite deplorable, a mirror framed
in red plush & an eperge (?) of silver tin full of artificial flowers, decayed & drooping, awful.

Sunday 2nd May

Motored out to Rafaa with Geake who was going out to inspect his Levy Corps post. A pleasant drive & early enough
to be cool. Rafaa is a big village on the top of a hill with a round tower built on an overhanging rock, rather the style
of Siwa. The old Amir, a relation of the Sheikh's, invited us to his house to drink coffee, also a tray with dishes of
tinned peaches, tinned pineapple & some sticky nasty looking sweets, coffee & tea, rather messy, but a fine view