Page 750 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

1932

at times, as people stared so when he went about in Arab robes, but on all occasions he dressed as an Arab. His ostensible
reason for going was to see an occulist but I dont think he even went to one. He thought everything was very cheap except
fruit. After dinner I had a bathe at Idari, very pleasant and quite deserted.

Wednesday [14 September]

The Shaikh came in in the morning but said he expected I was busy, when I said "No" he seemed disappointed and then said it
was too hot to talk business so would I come up in the afternoon to the Palace, had a few words about the draft Agreement for
the Imperial Airways, he needed very little persuasion to decide that we could not possibly grant them exemption from customs
and one or two other things which they are asking for. He likes the idea of their coming here very much. Went up to the
Palace in the afternoon, there were about fifty Arabs in the Meglis, most of them very jungly ones just come to cadge for
money, the Shaikh dismissed them all and then put on his usual expression which he assumes when discussing his own money
affairs and we talked for about an hour about his accounts. He has behaved very badly since I was away over his money
affairs, in a fortnight he has spent about £600 with absolutely nothing to show for it and naturally his bank balance is very very
low, he sent for his clerk and then became very obstinate and tiresome pretending to think that the accounts were wrong, which
of course they were not. The very last thing he thinks of is of being economical, his only idea is how to get more money to
spend. However for once in a way he seemed to appreciate that the Public finances were in just as bad a state as his own.
Called on the Hakkens on the way back and dined with Russell, Holmes and Pack were there and we played Bridge, Contract.
Pack and I were the only ones who knew anything about it.

Thursday [15 September]

Busy morning in office, lots of people came in including Holmes who stayed a long time and discussed oil matters, he is very
annoyed at some important questions being held up but I cannot do anything about them till Prior comes back. I quite see how
annoying it is. Steele came in too and we discussed electric affairs, he is having a lot of trouble with the Sikhs in the Power
House who fight with eachother and are on the whole very unsatisfactory. Went round to see Russell about the Airways
business, he has been appointed as their agent, mainly on my recommendation, they meant to put an agent here but I advised
him. Motored out to see the Senian garden in the evening.

Friday [16 September]

Went down the bazaar in the morning, it all seemed very clean and quite full of people but a terrible number of beggars which
is a new thing and most unsatisfactory though of course there are always more about on Fridays. Went in to see Ashraf who
was very gloomy about trade and, like all other people, said that the only thing to save Bahrain is the oil. Went round to tea
with Holmes and then we, and Russell motored out to the oil camp. We went up to see the new well which is now down a
thousand feet and then to the camp where we had dinner. Quite a good dinner but I find it difficult to understand some of the
American drillers who are very American. A little of them goes a long way. They were all very friendly in spite of the
Haenngi incident which they must all have heard about. Very nice driving back in the moonlight and quite cold. All agree that
it has been a very cool year and even now it is quite cool at nights and not too bad in the daytime. Did some work at my