Page 1869 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1866

1945

Friday 26th January

At Jidda. Lovely day but cold. Spent a long time with the Police about weaving, made some designs for
striped mats in two or three colours. Went over the list of prisoners & arranged who was to do what also had
the NCO & Abdul Libi up & discussed ways of catching smugglers from the coast villages, altogether quite a
busy day. Lots of green on the island & the little valley is like a green pool. The goats flourishing. James &
Edward seemed to enjoy themselves wandering about the cliffs. Had an early tea, at 4pm, and then crossed
to Budega & back by car. The AIM Iraq, George, came for the night & he & I dined at Agency, a very heavy
party, the Birds & another RAF man, Hick seemed glooky & angry with HH about a letter he wrote to A b
Jasim, Mrs Bird young & quite nice, not pretty but quite attractive. M not allowed to go out owing to bad leg
& very fed up at missing a party.

Saturday 27th January

Rain, rain, rain, almost the whole day, not very violent but fairly steady & as a result the whole place will be
in a mess again. The AIM left in the morning. Hick went out to see HH to have a row with him about the
wording of HH's letter to the Sh of Qattar but as usual though he went out breathing fire he seemed to have
had quite an amiable meeting. HH came in here, very late & stayed till nearly one, he talked most of the time