Page 668 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1931

speeches about me so by the time we got away it was nearly sunset, we drove behind a car containing one of the Shaikh's wives
who was going over to Manama after a visit to Muharrak. Had a look at the Quarantine building on the way back, it looks very
well and the watchman is making a garden in it, a capital idea. Morland is a most heavy young man and seems to take
absolutely no interest in anything, I can not think why he travels as he seems to be so bored by it all, he is the type who talks
about shooting and crops and cricket and is very "county". Dined at home. We shall both be glad when our guest leaves as the
effort of entertaining him is a great strain, someone asked him how he liked Bahrain and he replied that it seemed to be a horrid
climate, an ugly place and the people seemed to do nothing but play Bridge. Other people who have been here seem to find it
full of interest.

Sunday [29 November]

Today again the weather is delightful, I think the hot weather is really done now and the winter begun, I am wearing thick suits
and waistcoats for the first time since we got back. Busy morning in the office. Shaikh Abdulla called and we had a long talk
about many things especially about the case of Ali Bin Seggar, an old man who had made away with a large amount of money
which belongs to his brothers young children whose guardian he is. Went out early in the afternoon and motored out to
Sakhrir, waited some time in the Shaikh's Meglis till he finally arrived, he is out there for a few days sort of camping out
though his official residence at the moment is in Muharrak. He had a lot of hawks with him as it is the beginning of the
hawking season, he had them all in and was showing them to us when the Kozaibis arrived to call with two men from Nejd,
one a doctor the other some sort of Govt official of King Ibn Saoud's, I think they were Syrians. They stayed there some time
so we were kept rather late. The Shaikh did his usual trick of showing how well his hawks knew his voice by calling them
from the other end of the room when they had their hoods on and they flew across to him, but I fancy they would do the same
for anyone else. Finally we went off, in cars, and arrived near Zellag, there he insisted on doing a little hawking and eventually
we put up one bustard and caught it, then went over the ground which the Kozaibis want to buy, the Shaikh approved of it but
said it was his own property. ... was in very good form and looked very well, Morland, as usual, seemed to find it all not in the
least interesting. Dined with Major Holmes and Morland dined at the Agency with Prior. The Russells were there, had quite
good Bridge, and an excellent dinner.

Monday 30th November

Shaikh Khalaf came to call on me in the morning about some cases which he has in the court, he looks the part, very tall and a
white beard and a long black ebony cane, which I am told he uses to beat his wives with, he is the ex Shia Kadi and has been
deposed from office three times. He was very plausible. Motored up to the Palace in the afternoon and to the Shaikh's garden
and to Essex Point, the Palace looked very dirty and untidy, then went to the Fort to tea with the Parkes and played Bridge,
very good games, Morland didnt come but stayed at home and read. The boat was expected today but didnt come, worse luck.
Dined at the Hakkens, a pretty awful entertainment, they played a very silly paper game mixing up peoples' names. Some of
the Mission have got mumps.

Tuesday [1 December]