Page 667 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1931

and Cambridge, now a farmer in Kenya where he goes in for cattle. Took him out in the car after tea and then later to dinner at
the D.Gs, they had quite a party, a dozen people, it was a very boring entertainment, they played Roulette after dinner till after
twelve oclock, I felt so sleepy I could hardly keep my eyes open. I think the young man will be rather heavy on hand for a
whole fortnight.

Wednesday [25 November]

The weather is still much too hot for the middle of November, I used a fan in the court and it is very damp indeed and very
close and stuffy indoors. Went down to see the Shaikh at the Joint Court and after some argument persuaded him to sign a
proclamation forbidding Ali bin Seggar to sell or mortgage any of his property till the enquiry into the estate of his brother has
been finished. He is administering an enormous estate and has it is said made most of it away. Had Jordan and Steele for
about an hour and a half. Jordan decided to go down to Bombay which is the best thing he can do. Had lunch with Major
Holmes, a most excellent lunch. Mrs Skinner was there, she is a very attractive woman, American, but so very different to the
Mission people, being a good type instead of a very common type. She is nice to look at and very well dressed. Tennis in the
afternoon, a great many people and quite good tennis.

Thursday [26 November]

Court, Yusuf Kanoo came in to make a case about some pearls and with him old Mohamed bin Hindi who made such a
deafening noise that the whole neighbourhood must have heard. Holmes and the Secretary came in to see me about oil affairs.
Motored out to Rafaa and called on the Amir, M went to call on the women of the house and got on very well without anyone
to interpret. The Parkes and the Russells came to dinner.

Friday [27 November]

Prior came over in the morning, went to the Bank to play Bridge and the usual tennis tea at the Agency in the afternoon. Prior
was playing football so M acted as hostess. Very hot day, south wind.

Saturday 28th November 1931

In the morning I had a court but I was away from it for some time as I had to go down to see the Shaikh with Major Holmes to
get a paper signed about the oil business. Holmes is a very popular person with the Shaikh, in fact with all the Khalifah, as he
never worries them but "keeps their hearts good" by frequent handsome presents in order to get what he wants from them, he is
now after an extension of the area of the concession but the Political people, Govt of India, are I know against it. In the
afternoon we took our guest across to Muharrak, walked about the bazaar for some time and he bought a coffee pot, then,
unfortunately, I met rather a tiresome man, a minor pearl merchant, who said last time I had met him there I had promised to
drink coffee with him at his house, which was unfortunately true so we had to go along there, a poky little place at the far end
of the town. We sat there for some time while he complained about the badness of the pearl market and made complimentary