Page 655 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

653

1931

Saturday 28th [March]

Parke took the court and I worked at the Budget which I finished, in order to raise the other lac of rupees which is impossible
to obtain otherwise I have raised the Khanchia considerably so that we shall make another lac out of it, there will be a great
squeal from the merchants but it cant be helped, taxation is very low here so they really wont have a real complaint. Very busy
morning. Played tennis with Prior in the afternoon and then went round to see Parke, who was out, found the doctor and the
Jordans watching a football match so stopped there some time and then went to Mespers where we played Bridge. Mrs D.G. is
unwell and D.G. is behaving so sillily over it that he has caused a lot of rumours to get about, as a matter of fact it is not what
everyone is saying. Rather late for dinner. A little rain but hardly noticeable.

Sunday [29 March]

Office. Slept after lunch and then we went out to Sakhrir, by invitation, to see some horse racing. First sat in the Meglis for
some time drinking coffee and then we motored out to a plain a little way beyond Sakhrir where a lot of Arabs had collected
and sat on carpets. A lot of the rather tired looking ponies of the Shaikhs were prancing about there, eventually four of them
raced but it was quite evident that they had arranged before which one was to win, none of them ran at all fast but the Shaikh
got very excited about it and went on rather like a small boy. I was very bored but it was quite pleasant out there and all
looked very green almost like England. Parke was there besides us. D.G. had been asked but sent out a letter for the Shaikh
which I delivered to say that as his wife was unwell he could not attend, the Shaikh obviously thought there was more in it than
met the eye as he winked at me about it. The mail came in, quite a good post. Warm day, the weather is very variable at
present.

Monday [30 March]

Court, the Siadi case, decided at last to remove the two lacs of rupees in the case which are buried in a house in Muharrak and
put them in the Bank. Spent the whole morning at it. Went over to the office for some time in the afternoon and then the
Shaikh and Abdulla came to call at the Agency to say good bye to Prior who is going down to India tomorrow. They stayed so
long that we were not able to play tennis as we had meant to. In the evening Walker, Barden and Parke and Steele came to
dinner, quite a lively dinner but they left rather early as we did not play Bridge. A very good dinner, the cook here is very
good.

Tuesday [31 March]

Strong shamaal blowing and very rough. Had breakfast very early as the boat was supposed to be sailing at eight, as it
happened it left later. Steele came in to see me and to say good bye, Prior came over to the office on his way down, his
luggage looked very smart and expensive. Worked at the Annual Report all the morning and saw a few people. Went to the
Mission in the afternoon and then on the Mespers to play Bridge. A young man has come to relieve Walker till the permanent