Page 795 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Cool day but the air thick with sand all day. The down boat was delayed owing to the weather. Meeting of Manama
municipality, Gastrell, who is to act for Lock while he is away, was to arrive on down boat but it didnt come. The
Biladya discussed the arrangements about the Indian nurse we are getting from India and also about illuminations on
certain occasions and on public holidays. Various people came to see me at the office. Tennis at the Mission, owing
to the state of finances in America the grant of money to them has been reduced by one third so they will have to
make some drastic economies. Played Bridge at the Russells. Heard that one of the Persian sloops arrested and
imprisoned the Port Officer of Basrah who is an Englishman employed by the Iraq Government, it seems an
extraordinary affair as they had no excuse. Slept inside, too windy for the roof or veranda. Had a long talk with
Abdulla bin Jabr about the Shaikh of Kuwait, he caused much offence by only entertaining the English & Americans
and by not even having the Shaikh to a meal.

Wednesday 5th [July]

Busy morning, various people came in including Chisholm of the APOC who came to talk oil business. I find him
pleasant to deal with as he is one's own type, he discussed the position very thoroughly and said that Sampson was
not authorised by the APOC to make official overtures about the additional area and until the board had discussed it
at home they were not prepared to speak about it at all. He was very pleasant and I found it a refreshing change to
deal with a man of my own kind, neither an American or a bounder! The weather is amazing, there is still a nice cool
breeze almost every day. Usual tennis & Bridge party in afternoon.

Tuesday 6th July

The red bitch, Poppy, produced nine fine puppies, two dogs & seven bitches, four mostly black, like the father, four
brown red like her and one white & yellow which must be a throwback. They should be good dogs as both parents
are really fine silugis, I took a lot of trouble over breeding them. Holiday, as it is the Birthday of Mohammed. Painted
in the morning and went over to the Agency to call on Gastrell who arrived last night, a very rough day too. He is
several inches taller than me, & very nice, his wife is up in Isfahan in the Persian hills. We talked a little business.
Motored out to the no 3 well in the afternoon and had a look round, there were two drillers out there. It is a rotary
engine worked by steam generated by crude oil engines. They have got no oil yet but are down lower than the other
two wells and there were signs of oil in the overflow which was coming up. Painted in the morning, I am doing a
picture of a bit of the bazaar. Drove to Suk al Khamis in the morning, took a few snaps.

Friday [7th July]

Gastrell came to call. Went down bazaar, tennis at the Agency & then we went over to the Holmes' house & sat there
for some time on their roof, it was almost cold up there.