Page 693 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1932

demonstration when The Shaikh appeared. The people at the back of the trouble are Yousuf Fakroo, a big merchant of
Muharrak, and two Shias in Manama. They have spread the most alarming rumours about the intentions of the Government
telling the people that Govt means to take half of the property of everyone who dies and all sorts of other stories, that dead
people will have to be examined by the Govt doctors before they are buried and lots of other ideas likely to alarm the people in
Bahrain, all of which has been believed. Abdulla had asked four or five of the leading men to go and see the Shaikh tomorrow
at Sakhrir and arranged for me to go too. Had a very busy time with constant reports from the Police about the position. The
Agency are publishing a similar proclamation to our one. I can see that The Shaikh has got the wind up badly, he sent in
another message to me at night asking me to discuss the matter again with Prior which I did and then sent a letter out to him at
midnight asking him not to give way on the principle. A very tiring day. I called on the Shia Kadi in the afternoon, he also
was very sensible and assured me that he had taken no part in the general agitation. I am very glad Parke was not here as he
would have got into such a fuss over it all. There has never been such a crisis since I came here, it really is a big show and
quite exciting. The people have evidently adopted the idea of a strike from India which they have been hearing so much about
lately. I myself am all for strong measures but I know that the Shaikh wont agree to anything and is all out to give way in
order to quieten the people. When I suggest arresting the ringleaders he says it would be impossible at present as that would
cause fighting etc.

Wednesday 10th [February]

Had breakfast early in order to go out to Sakhrir. Shaikh Abdulla sent me a message that he was at Kanoo's so I went round
there and found him and a lot of the young Shaikhs there, he and I and Kanoo and Shaikh Rashid got into my car and went to
Zayani's house to pick him up but not finding him we motored straight out to Sakhrir. The Shaikh had a big Meglis, about a
hundred Arabs all sitting down the sides of the room, but all Arabs, not local merchants. We had to sit there for a long time
just talking about nothing, then Zayani came and the Shaikh dismissed all the Arabs leaving our party and the young shaikhs
who had come to pay Eid calls on him. Finally the men we had sent for arrived but close on their heels came about thirty
Shias, several very violent persons who are at the bottom of the trouble bringing with them a petition which they gave to the
Shaikh demanding the recall of the Proclamation. There was a very violent scene, the Shias began shouting and yelling and
speaking in a most unsuitable way but the Shaikh instead of telling them off made a long speech which was a sort of apology
and altogether very unsuitable. This made them even more violent. The young shaikhs and The Shaikh's followers who were
about the doors looked furious and I know they would have liked to have set on the people and chucked them out. The Arabs
were just as violent but quite polite to the Shaikh. The talk went on for several hours, every now and then the People divided
up into groups and shouted among themselves, then Abdulla bin Jabr took a hand in it and sitting in the middle of the room, on
the floor began to argue. I got in a few good hits at the objectors. Finally The Shaikh sent Shaikh Abdulla outside with some
of the people to talk to them but in the meantime he suddenly sort of let go of the whole position and gave in most
ignominiously. He really is hopeless, he cant even make the people remain polite to him in his own Meglis. Yusuf Kanoo
behaved admirably and said a good deal that was much to the point but Shaikh Abdulla hardly opened his mouth and probably
encouraged the people when he talked to them outside. Altogether it was a sickening affair and very disappointing and most
undignified on the part of the Shaikh who must have lost most of the little prestige that he has. He looked, and was, very tired
and worried by it all. In the afternoon we had our usual tennis party, the Shaikh came in and called at the Agency coming in
here first for a minute to say that he was calling on M, I dont know why specially on her not me, after he had been to the
Agency. We felt rather nervous about it knowing that Prior intended speaking very straightly to him about the present trouble
and his ignominious surrender, however he came over and seemed quite bright and came up to tea in the drawing room, as it
happened only the women were there and they were all very pleased at his having tea with them. He was very pleasant and