Page 724 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

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1932

evidently very nervous, finally they sent for Mohammed and the Shaikh tackled him about drinking. To our surprise he
did not admit it but asked what proofs the Shaikh had, it was a very poor show. Abdulla was not well, fever, and took
no part in it and the Shaikh did it very badly and was very mild about it all and tried to imply that I had told him about
it whereas Abdulla himself had asked the Shaikh to speak to Mohammed. Then they went along to the Joint Court and
I went up to breakfast. I thought the Shaikh looked very unwell. Rumour has it that he has divorced his young wife,
Sherifa, but I have not heard so definitely. Hot day, a dry south wind. Busy morning in the office, Sh Mubarak came
to see me, he looked very well and seems to have enjoyed the Haj. Took the dogs out to Ain al Hakim and bathed there
and put all the dogs in and gave them a good washing, they had a fine time running about there on the shore. It was
very pretty out there at sunset time. I have nearly done the Annual Report and shall be glad when it is finished. If I
had been here all the year it would have been easier but as I was away for so long I have few notes to work on. The
Amir of Muharrak came in to see me and told me about the arak question over there, I shall go over before the Rekabah
which is on Thursday week, but I expect most of the boats will go out on Saturday. The Khanchieh has been very poor
though one pearl was sold for 15,000 rupees.

Thursday 19th [May]

Very hot dry weather, the people are all complaining of the heat though I myself think it has been very cool on the
whole, I think the Arabs dislike the dry heat more than the damp heat. Fort in the morning, I go most days before
breakfast, they seem to be getting on quite well. Busy morning. Read in the afternoon and then had people to tea and
tennis, I was bored by it but thought perhaps I should do something now and then. Only Dame of the Mission came
and Prior didnt as he expected to go to Kattar though as it happened the machines came too late to leave today. Had
some bad tennis as Steele was there, he ruins any game, and then tea and Bridge. A very small party. Played Bridge
and those not playing sat on the veranda which was cooler than inside even with a fan. They stayed till 9.15 as we had
a rubber that wouldnt end. The Mission ladies had a Meglis so Dame said so couldnt come. I survived their not
coming. So hot and heavy that I expected a thunder storm but none came. They are getting ready for the diving and
there are a lot of foreign divers about the place.

Friday 20th May 1932

Stayed in bed late. Dame came in after breakfast to tell me that he was starting off for the Hedjaj today, summoned to
attend someone of Ibn Saoud's family, but he thinks himself that it may be the King himself. I envy his going there, it
will be a very interesting trip and to places not known much yet to Europeans. He is to go to Taif, direct, which is a
few miles from Mecca, by land across Arabia. Very hot day, south wind, simoon, and though quite cool in the house it
was very hot indeed out of doors. As Prior is at Kattar there was no Agency party so I stayed in and gardened after tea.
Saad bin Sumrah came to call having returned from leave, he told me a lot of news about Hassa which was interesting.
In the evening a very strong shamaal blew up, a real gale, so it became much cooler.

Saturday [21 May]