Page 817 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

Wednesday [20th September]

Busy morning. Motored after tea & then a Bridge Tournament at the Bank, which I won, and then dined with
Holmes for the last time, very sad and sorry. We have known him intimately for 7½ years and are very fond
of him. He leaves by air tomorrow. Cool day, a strong shamaal blowing.

Thursday 21st Sept

Busy morning. Went to Agency to discuss the pearl case & passport matters with Gastrell. Spent an hour
with Chief of Police going over the pearl case, we have four different charges against him but I am not ready
yet. Post arrived, last air mail missed us, some mix up & the Bahrain bag left out. M's ring came back,
mounted in Paris, it looks very nice, a large fine pearl mounted on platinum, also her necklace restrung &
cleaned. Played golf. Nannie & James went out with Dr & Mrs Holmes. Pack & Freund came to dinner & we
had very good Bridge.

Friday 22nd September

Went down to the RAF Rest house in the morning before breakfast to meet the Air Vice Marshall, Burnett,
who is en route to the Oman coast. Took James with me but he declined to go out to the flying boat so I left
him in the car. Gastrell went ahead of me. There were two flying boats and nine "Wapiti" aeroplanes but
they only stayed long enough to fill up with petrol & then went off. Welsh was with the A.V.M. Burnett is
very nice, we knew him quite well some years ago when he used to come down here as Air Commodore,
Baghdad. He was at Bedford. One of the flying boats stayed on as it had engine trouble, it seems to happen
so often. I suppose the engines are getting old. Went down the bazaar and in the afternoon to tennis at the
Agency but I didnt play, before going we took Nannie & James to Essex point with the three puppies,
Mishmish, Bulbul and Simsim, which being interpreted means, Apricot, bulbul is a black brown & white bird,
& simsim a yellow seed, so the names suit the colours of the dogs. Bridge at the Agency.

Saturday 23rd [September]

Police & then Court. The Shaikh came in, he had a look at the new court & then discussed various matters in
the office & then went to call at the Agency. As Gastrell talks no Arabic I always have to go as interpreter,
which is a bore. He was interested in the doings at Dubai & Sharjah where they are holding a Durbar to
present the Shaikh of Dubai with the O.B.E, the 11 ships & 9 aeroplanes are all assembling there and Lock is
going down from Bushire, but the people here wont believe that there is not more in it than this. Really it is
a sort of counterblast to the Persian navy and I hope it will have the required effect - but I doubt it. The nine
destroyers are very small. Had tennis in the afternoon instead of last Wednesday, rather few people, the two
RAF men came, one is the A.V.M's ADC, rather a nice boy called Stevenson, much better than most of them.