Page 692 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1932

the Shia Kadi warning him not to behave foolishly. Very cold evening. A naval survey party arrived in the Bideford to do a
new survey of the harbour which has not been done for many years, two of the officers went to the Agency. Prior sent me an
escaped slave from the mainland who I hope to put into the Police, a fine big black, just the sort I am after. Went to the Fort in
the morning and passed an order that they are only to have one holiday a week, Friday, I find that Parke was letting them have
two which is absurd and lazy. He will be very annoyed at various orders I have given since he has been away. In the evening
they fired the guns for the Eid but nobody could possibly see the moon as it was so misty and sand blowing, it means that the
Shias will keep the Eid a day later than the Sunnis, always a tiresome arrangement. Cold day and a shamaal.

Monday 8th February 1932

Eid Al Fitr, the first day of the new month after Ramadan. Had breakfast early and went with Prior in his launch to Muharrak
to pay the usual calls. The bazaars seemed very deserted, all closed as usual, but further into the town there were lots of gaily
dressed children wandering about, they look very attractive in their bright coloured clothes especially some of the little
negresses they wear replicas of what their parents wear only perhaps brighter colours. Called on Shaikh Isa in his downstairs
room, the first time I have ever been received in it, a squalid looking mud room with no windows and furnished with a very
dirty carpet and half a dozen aged chairs with faded green seats, cheap Indian style of a kind one might meet in a very third
class seaside lodging, green plush with patterns of fans, done in plush, on the back of them. Shaikh Abdulla and Khalifah bin
Sulman and Shaikh Mohamed's eldest son were also there, the last is a little mad as are a good many of the royal family.
Shaikh Isa was quite talkative and asked about Prior's trip to Hassa. From there we went to Abdulla's house, all his sons were
there sitting in a row, a pretty poor looking collection mostly very undersized. After the usual coffee Prior asked for a few
words with him alone and talked to him about the present fuss that is being made about the proclamation. Abdulla looked very
awkward and said he had done all he could to quieten people, but he evidently found the conversation difficult and looked
extremly guilty. Many people say that he is at the bottom of it and that he has stirred up the trouble in order to make the
Shaikh look a fool as usual. Then to Shaikh Ibrahaims, he is a well read old man and talked about outside politics, the war in
China, the League of Nations etc etc, he asked Prior about the horse that King Ibn Saoud gave him saying he heard he had been
given a fine horse, Prior replied "yes, a horse", Ibrahaim again repeated "a fine horse" and looked profoundly shocked when
Prior said he would prefer a present that didnt eat. In the afternoon we went out to Sakhrir taking the de Greniers with us to
call on The Shaikh, two of the naval officers were there, they are doing a survey of the harbour. Most of the European men
were calling at the same time, didnt stay long and talked no business. When we got back we went in to tea with the de
Greniers and played Bridge, several people came in. I thought the Shaikh looked very tired and worried with all this fuss, he is
not going to Muharrak as is his custom, saying that the sea is too rough, as it happens it is very rough indeed. Just after we
went over in the morning a most violent shamaal blew up.

Tuesday [9 February]

A sort of Strike started today, all the people in the bazaar shut their shops as a protest against the proclamation, very insolent of
them but it only does harm to them. I went down the bazaar to pay calls but as the shops and offices were all shut I only called
on Yusuf Kanoo who was very sensible in his views and entirely on the side of the Government, still this strike business is very
tiresome as I know the Shaikh will be very fussed about it and inclined to give in. Afterwards I called on Abdu Ali who was
also entirely pro Government. Abdulla bin Jabr came in from Muharrak having been sent over by The Shaikh to see what was
going on. He reported that things were very disturbed, the bazaars closed and crowds of people everywhere waiting to make a