Page 1397 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1394

1942

Friday 23rd August

Suhail appeared, or, at least, should have appeared according to local
star experts.

Went to Jidda in the morning. The band behaved like a school treat and
ran wild over the island in the sea. I went out in the raft with four of
them rowing & looked for fish which they tied to rope but found none.
Got very sunburned.

Returned home by launch, slept all the way, & got back in time for lunch.
Altogether a pleasant outing. Many complaints at Jidda about the
savagery of one of the gazelles which attacks people doing quite a lot of
damage with its horns.

Bathed at Sanian & spent a lazy afternoon & evening.

Went to cinema P.M. - Dodsworth, I had seen it before, not very good.

Saturday 24th August

Went to Safra before breakfast. Very pleasant out there, a cool breeze.
Howes came over & stayed some time, also Furber. Got on with diving
rules. Missed the Shaikhs.

Spent time before going out painting the china shelves which I have had
done with glass & a sort of frame. They look very nice indeed.
Mrs Vallance came in to lunch, I found her very dull & colourless but
perhaps nervous at a tete a tete party. Could not discover anything
about her.

Dinner Kennedys, Mrs Vallance, Gunn & Mrs Jennett present. Mrs V spent
part of the night on my veranda waiting to go out on the boat on which
her sister was passing through - quite a compromising affair! Quite a
cool night, weather seems to be behaving according to schedule. SNO
asked me to Jufair & Leila asked me there, three dates for my dinner.
Rather dull party at Rs - no Bridge, sat & talked.