Page 769 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

When my boy came into the dressing room in the morning he announced that Shaikh Isa was dead. For so
long we have been wondering what would happen if this occurred that it was difficult to believe it. Over
twenty years ago the then Political Agent reported to Government in India that Shaikh Isa couldnt live much
longer. The Shaikh will now be sole ruler, not merely deputy ruler for his father who was deposed 10 years
ago. It was very awkward as Sh Hamed & Sulman were away in the country & the Resident and P.A. had
gone out to meet them for some hawking. I sent for the Indian assistant at Agency & for the Chief of Police
& gave a great many orders & after a hurried breakfast I crossed over to Muharraq by launch, but the tide
was bad & we took a very long time. When I arrived I heard that the funeral was already over & Shaikh
Hamed himself had only arrived just at the end. I motored out towards the cemetery & found the plain
simply full of people. I have never seen such a vaste crowd in Bahrain, one couldnt see anything except
people. Servants of the Shaikh told me he had returned to the house so we motored back there & went
into his Meglis. I had the Khan Bahadur with me from the Agency. We found a lot of the notables sitting
along the sides of the room, silent, & so we joined them & sat for a while, then a messenger came to say
that the Shaikh was in Shaikh Isa's Meglis. We walked slowly through the streets to the other house
meeting quantities of people who whispered salaams, among them Yusuf Kanoo with tears pouring down
his face. Most of the women we saw were wailing & sobbing. The street in front of the house was densly
packed and there was a sound of wailing inside the house, eventually we got in and crossed the courtyard
into the Meglis at the other side, inside we found Shaikh Hamed, who looked very distressed and very tired,
and most of the Shaikhs of the family, hundreds of people of all sorts & classes were passing through and
each kissed the Shaikh on the head and then went right round condoling with the others. It was an
impressive sight and quite historical as Sh Isa had ruled for over 60 years. We waited a little while as we
had messages from the Resident & while waiting a very old Shaikh, Abdel Rahman bin Abdel Wahab, who
used to be Shaikh Isa's Wazir, was carried in by his sons and his black slaves, all sobbing loudly. The old man
was in a terrible state and when Shaikh Hamed saw him he too began to cry and many of the men started
sobbing loudly. We stayed a little longer and then left. On the way we met Shaikh Sulman on his way to
the house. He had only just arrived from Jessra. I got home at about one oclock and we went to lunch with
Major Holmes. In the afternoon we went a drive and before dinner I went across to the Agency and had
another long talk to the Resident and Colonel Loch. The Shaikh sent over for some black edged paper &
envelopes which I got done with Indian ink. There will be great rows over the inheritance and they will try
and get Sh Isa's salary 60,000/- a year, which I hope to save!! The de Greniers & Major Holmes came to
dinner & we had a bottle of champagne, which was flat! A very tiring day!

Saturday 10th [December]

Everything closed, offices, bazaar etc etc. I worked in the office for some time & had a long talk with
Abdulla bin Jabr about the Shaikh's share of inheritance. There are going to be many difficulties & family
rows. Shaikh Abdulla is away hunting & has not returned yet but a boat was sent to fetch him. Took the
family for a drive in the afternoon and dined with Major Holmes where we played Bridge. The Resident &
Loch went to Muharraq to call on the Shaikh. Owing to all this it has been impossible for them to discuss
business or affairs but they took a letter & left it for him to see. Went round to the de Greniers after tea.

Sunday [11 December]