'A Grandfather's Tale: Memoirs being mainly concerned with service in the Indian Army and the Indian Political Service in India and the Persian Gulf from 1932-1947' [‎49v] (98/118)

children, camels, donkeys, sheep and horses of the Qashgai tribes moving
down to the plains for the winter, and at every village and post on the way
stops had to be made, as the Oashgais all wanted to know who they were and
where they were going, and what was the latest news of the war. There was,
however, only one difficult incident, when they were asked to give a lift to
a man who was obviously very sick. Major Greenway had a quick look at him
and diagnosed cholera, and said on no account gould they take him, explaining
that the risk of infection was too great. There was some angry muttering
and shaking of rifles but the escort ensured that they got safely away.
They finally reached Bushire at 8.45 p.m. the 180 mile journey from
Shiraz having taken in all over fourteen hours. Jane and the children
stayed in the Bushire Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. with the Pettigrews for three days and then
caught the Down Gulf Mail on the 14th October, reaching Bahrain, to my huge
relief, the next day. Despite the alarums and excursions of the "War” they
had all greatly benefited from the months in a decent climate, and by now the
weather in Bahrain was fairly pleasant.
There was an official Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. car, complete with driver, but since our
arrival on the Island we had had a succession of tatty vehicles of our own,
starting off with an open 5 cwt truck. At last, however, new cars were
starting to come into the Island and I acquired a large Ford Saloon. As
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. I flew a union jack on the bonnet and this gave Christopher
a great thrill, so I had a modified version made for his own pedal-car before
his return. The latter we had bought three years before umpteenth hand in
the Thieves' Bazaar in Quetta, and surprisingly it had survived the year in
Mekran. Now I had had it newly painted "good as new" and it pleased him
I had also had made a wooden fort for him and a dolls' house for
Elizabeth as belated birthday presents. Toys were non-existent in the
Manama shops and in any case the children preferred them "homemade".
we seemed to e brn,^ er S ° Cial 1±fe ln Bahraln beca "< e *°re hectic and
e seemed to oe out nearly every night at some oarty or other either ir
at . the 0 i h Camp in Awali - 1 ^tinned as Politicly Agent un4l
to Which alTen 2s “V* 6 ,f th W6 had 78 Pe0ple t0 a =°<*tail party
to which, as well as all our friends we invited everyone who had called on
Belgraves “now S^CWl ' Th6Se in ° luded ' b ° tb capacities th"
10 ^ T » Sir Charles and Lady, and it seemed that at last (shades of
939) I had a position on the Island". Actually by this time we had cot
them .if- if “faff feTsLfhltflff anf f fy
which time Jane was quite exhausted. ucuanny, y
to oneratfonfhe later 7* old , fl ' iend Sir He “T Holland arrived from Ouetta
fd W !t-f efn T ° ne ° f the Sheikh ' s chlld r*n. He was now 7 4 years
i ull of energy, and on the day he came to lunch with us he had