Page 729 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

727

1932

roofs and verandas of all the houses. The Police and the naturs were drawn up on three sides of a square, the other side
being the Customs House where there were benches for us to sit on. The prisoners were in the lock up. We had them
led out one by one and laid down on the ground with a Policeman at both ends and one of the most stalwart of the
Police gave each man ten lashes with a heavy cane, it was a real punishment and left marks, then each man was sent off
to go back to his naukhuda and to dive. The crowd enjoyed it very much and were very impressed. It took about half
an hour, I sat with Shaikh Rashid and a bunch of shaikhlings, all carrying swords and rifles. After the beating was over
Abdulla bin Jabr made a short speech and said that the men were being punished for having encouraged and taken part
in the attack on the Police Office, an office of the Government, it was a good thing that he was there as it was then well
understood that the order for the punishment had the personal approval of the Shaikh. Then we took half a dozen cars
with the Hedd divers in them and motored to Hedd where we repeated the performance at the edge of the town, after
that we came back to Manama with the prisoners who are not to be released yet. I think it made a very suitable
impression and will prevent anything of this sort happening again. I called on the D.Gs but they were out. A hot
evening. I wished I had taken a photo of the show but I didnt quite like to as I have often disapproved of other people
doing this on such occasions such as the Mission. There are rumours about, but probably untrue, that several more
dead men have been found in some of the fish traps near Sitra, but I doubt it myself. The general public are thoroughly
scared and a lot of men who were damaged wont go to the Doctor as they think they may be punished for having taken
part in the show. In the evening Ali bin Hussein came round with the seal out of my ring, the new one, which was
picked up on the Sea Road as I thought, it came out during the affray. I am lucky to have got it back as it is the one I
seal all official papers with and would be awkward if I lost it. A hot day, it was very hot over in Muharraq though
pleasant motoring over the plain.

Monday [30 May]
Fort in the morning then looked in at the D.Gs to say good bye to Mrs de Grenier who is leaving today on the up mail
and will be home on tomorrow week, it seems wonderfully fast but the Air route takes a very short time. She seems
quite cheerful. Then had a court which went on till late as we are very busy with diving work before the boats go out.
In the afternoon I took the dogs out to Ain al Hakim where I had a very nice bathe and gave them a bath too. It was
very pleasant out there. Went in to see Holmes when I got back and stayed

and stayed till dinner time. Hot evening, what we thought was the bara is just an ordinary shamaal wind but it is a good thing on the whole
as it would be very hot later on if the 40 days bara blew now. Very busy courts just now and a lot of very tiresome dull cases.

Tuesday [31 May]

Didnt go to Muharraq Biladya meeting as I had so much to do. Spent most of the morning with Steele working on the electric section of the
Annual Report, it takes a lot of doing, in the afternoon I drafted it out and got it done so now I have practically finished the Report. It has
hung up a lot as I have been so very busy over other things. In afternoon had a Wakf meeting in Manama for the election of the two
Manama members, it passed off well though I had expected some rows from some of the people. Then to the Biladya garden where I got a