l62 CHALLENGER 



And so the winter months of 1946—47 passed in the Persian 

 Gulf with occasional visits to Bahrein, where the officers found 

 a welcome at the charming home of Sir Rupert and Lady Hay. 

 Here they met many interesting personalities, for the Hays kept 

 open house every evening between 6 and 8 p.m., and here came 

 all men of interest who were travelling through Bahrein, oil 

 prospectors, oil company executives, sheikhs' advisers, and 

 Arabian travellers. Sharp at 8 o'clock one took one's leave, for 

 the evening meal was served at exactly quarter past and on this 

 Sir Rupert was very firm. He was a man of majestic stature and 

 healthy appetite. He had served many years in India and on 

 one occasion had attempted to bring hostilities between two 

 warring tribes to a halt. It was said that he first visited the chiefs 

 of one tribe, with whom he took a meal of considerable propor- 

 tions. He then crossed the valley to the camp of the opposing side, 

 and again had to take hospitality in a similar form. Two hours later 

 he reached his home and was at once anxious to know if luncheon 

 was ready. 



Sir Rupert himself was in touch with every aspect of the 

 complicated political life of both shores of the Persian Gulf; a 

 visit to the Residency was refreshing indeed and sent one away 

 with a new interest in the ramifications of life on the coasts of 

 Arabia. 



Occasionally a visit was paid to Basra to fuel. This meant enter- 

 ing the Shatt el Arab through the dredged Rookah Channel, for 

 although Basra once lay on the shores of the Persian Gulf it is now 

 situated 70 miles upstream. The silt-laden waters of the Shatt are 

 still thrusting a sandy shelf out into the gulf and the adjacent 

 coastline creeps steadily out to sea, while at the entrance Man 

 toils unceasingly with dredges to keep open this vital river 

 serving the three oil ports of Basra, Abadan and Fao. 



The river flows between banks which are clothed with forests 

 of date palms which support a great industry in Basra, and for 

 many hours the ship steered her twisting course among this un- 

 familiar green. Berthed at Basra, the men were able to enjoy the 

 amenities of the small R.A.F. Station and the doubtful pleasures 

 of the tawdry cabarets which serve the vilest of 'Scotch' accom- 

 panied by the most dismal of floor shows. The artistes who have 

 travelled eastwards across the Mediterranean have reached their 



