Page 964 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

962

1935

Thursday 31st January

Mohammed & Abdulla & Sulman arrived early & we started discussing matters, then the Shaikh arrived with
Sulman. Talked in my office for about an hour & decided to hear what the Baharna leaders had to say & not
to give in on any point. We read the letters again. Then we went into the court & took our seats on the dais
& the four men were sent for, there were chairs down below but they got up and stood at the rail in front of
the dais - where parties in cases stand usually. We let them talk which they did at length, at first very
nervously, but then angrily. Shaikh Mohammed spoke a great deal as he got excited he shouted louder
eventually his noise became a ... then Sulman made a speech, quite good, but with no bearing on the
discussion, the Shaikh sat rather hunched in his chair playing with his gloves, occasionally he muttered a