Page 674 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

672

1931

The ship arrived in the morning, a huge battle ship, very long and very white with one of the sloops as her escort, she anchored
inside the place where the mail boats anchor so not really so very far off. I went down to see that the room above the Police
Office had been properly arranged and found it quite well done with chairs and carpets and flags on the walls, then came back
for an early lunch and then went down to meet the Shaikh at the Customs where the Captain of the Emerald paid a call on him,
then the Shaikh returned the Captain's call at the Agency. The Captain is a man called Clayton, brother of Sir Gilbert Clayton,
another son of the old Claytons who lived at Sandown, he seemed a very pleasant person. de Grenier was terribly officious in
the morning, dressed in his gray frock coat, he came in to the Meglis during the visit and sat in the corner looking very silly,
and I was rather irritated by it. He always tries to push himself into things where he is not supposed to be. Later in the
afternoon we went to the Agency for tennis, Prior again was playing football, we arrived rather late and found crowds of
sailors there from the two ships which was rather awkward as I didnt know any of their names or how they played tennis, and I
had to arrange the games. They seemed a very nice lot of men, most of them quite young. We left soon after tea as Prior
wanted to start getting things ready for the dance. We had Prior and five of the officers to dinner, including Captain Clayton, a
very lively party, encouraged by two rounds of Prior's cocktails which were rather strong. They all appeared in their fancy
dresses except Prior who changed afterwards. The navy's ones were not very exciting and very much home made. M wore a
dress which we copied from a picture in one of Jane Austin's novels, a longish blue dress, high waisted with frills at the bottom
and a sash and puffy sleeves above the elbow with a big hat tied with blue ribbon under the chin, she carried a fan and wore a
hair locket which she happened to have and which was actually just the right date. After dinner we went across to the Agency
and found all the inhabitants and about half a dozen more men off the ship, it was very well got up and decorated and some of
the dresses were quite good. Prior looked very handsome as a cossak officer, de Grenier was Father Christmas, Steele, George
Robey, very good indeed, Mrs Skinner as a Central Europe, vague, peasant woman, Mrs Russell as a Red Indian, one of the
Navy went as an Indian too, Dr Holmes as an American "tough", Mrs Holmes as a coleen, Mrs Steele in a very short frocked
Pierette, altogether a very good mixture, I dressed Luard in my Arab kit. First there was dancing, then the play and then supper
and then more dancing. The supper was excellent, cold turkey, pate de fois gras and jellies etc, and champagne cup, some of
the Navy had a good deal too much to drink. The floor was very good for dancing and the tunes all the newest ones.
Altogether a very good show, the play went off excellently and the last scene, when the chorus appeared each with a baby was
a great success though rather improper. We got away at about two oclock.

Saturday [19 December]

Knowing that Friday would be a late night I had no court. Clayton and three of his officers came over in the morning to
discuss a programme of entertainments, including a tea party on board on Sunday for all the white people and a visit to the ship
for the members of the Municipal councils and the schools. Arranged it all and sent out the invitations. In the afternoon some
of the Navy came ashore and played tennis here. They had a cricket match in the afternoon. In the morning M and Mrs de
Grenier went calling and in the afternoon they went to two weddings, one at Abdu Alis and the other at Kozaibis, I took three
of the Navy to Rufaa to the Kozaibi wedding which they seemed to enjoy very much. The Shaikh came for dinner and Sulman
and Shaikh Rashid. There were hardly any other people there. It was rather cold up there and I forgot to warn the others to
wear thick coats. We left at once after dinner as the Navy had to get back to the ship. The Kozaibis house is rather nice, a big
square walled place with a bunch of houses at each end, the rooms we went into were very well got up and most comfortable.
Two of Abdul Rahman's daughters were being married to two of his brothers sons, as usual first cousins. The Shaikh seemed
very pleased to see the naval men and asked them quite a lot of questions.