Page 806 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Saturday [12th August]

Fort. Court. Shaikh Abdulla came in and he and I & Sulman had a long talk about oil. Abdulla was very funny about it
& said just what he thought about the way the whole matter has been managed. He was very indignant about it all.
Both felt that owing to the Agency we had fallen between two stools. Dealt with the Ali Fadi case. Took the family to
Ain al Hakim & bathed. The tide was very far out so it was not as nice as usual but the sea was nice & cool out in the
deep water. James got on very well swimming, but still with an air ring which keeps him up. Dined with the Russells.
Hot day and very damp indeed. There were a few drops of rain which is most unusual & I heard there had been quite
a lot out at the pearl banks. This has not been heard of for over 20 years nor I should think has there been so cool a
summer for 20 yrs. The atmosphere is simply saturated with moisture.

Sunday [13th August]

Court. Bathed again at Ain al Hakim with the family & Gastrell. Shaikh Mohammed's sons were in the pool which
seemed to annoy G, his attitude is all wrong, he implies that the Arabs have no rights here whereas it is we who are
here on sufferance in their country. This attitude of most of the English here does annoy me. They get angry because
the Arabs use the bathing pools, which after all belong to them, & so the English women cant indulge in mixed
bathing. I altogether disapprove of white women bathing in public in an Arab country.

Monday 14th [August]

Office, Police, customs etc, busy morning. Motored to Rafaa & did a drawing but had not time to colour it before the
sunset. Dined with Pack, quite a party, a very good French dinner, such a change & Bridge afterwards. He played his
wireless, it was delightful, I wish we had one. Awfully hot sticky night, really nasty day, no air.

Tuesday 15th [August]