'File 19/218 (C 84) Bahrain Succession' [‎6r] (11/210)

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in the harbour, through the Palace windows, with other little
w Bide-tracking" diversons of a similar nature. He is
extravagant, with little or no idea of the value of money, and
heavily in debt, though this does not prevent him from indulging
in the expensive hobby of building netv res i denote ^3 for himself,
or his sons. His extravagances for the time being are some
what curtailed by the fact that - as Ur.Belgrave informed me -
the credit balance of his private account now stands at the
sum of Rso37-8-0. His passion is h«wking, which is the only
activity that really Interests him. At the conclusion of
the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). for instance, with which it is customary to welcome
a new JPolitioal Resident, and at which I had made an oration of
the usual official complexion, on my leaving the Palace, bhaikh
HamaiJ. who presumably had been thoroughly bored with t.ti.e whole
proceeding, instead of reflecting on the wise words I h;. d just
uttered, insisted on displaying to me his favourite hawk, who -
he was delighted to point out - actually answered to its name.
3. His iixcellenoy in short has my liking, but not my
respect. A much worse man, endowed with some of the qualities
of a ruler j would make a much better Shaj-^h. - t may be that
now he is de .lure Ruler, instead of Deputy Ruler, he may rise
to his responsibilitiest I have, however, little Lope ol this#
It is of course possible that he may not live long to carry
these responsibilities. He is nearer to 60 than to 55 and
suffers from diabetes. Kor is he as careful of his diet as he
should be. At an official dinner which he was kind enough
I "
to ^ive me, ani which we ate Arab fashion withour finfers, and
seated on the ground, he disposed of large quantities oi food*
I do not blame him for this*, the cooking was excellent, and I
daresay I ate almost as much as he did, but such indulgence
for a man in his condition of health cannot be continued
indefinitely