Sat 15. [15 April 1905] The heavens opened in the night and this
morning it was impossible to move. This gave Faris who had not
appeared last night, the opportunity of turning up. I think he had been
detained for a debt. How he got off history does not say. I had just
written to Catoni to ask him to bale him out! The good little Kaimakam
came down in all the rain to invite me to his house. But I didn't go. He
sent me 6 oranges and 2 bottles of Russian beer in the evening. Felt
sleepy and slack and slept after lunch. It cleared but was still heavy
and hot and disagreeable. Walked round the sea coast and saw that
the ruins come down to the sea and extend to the river, 1/4 of a mile
from my castle, but no good work, rough stone work set in thick mortar.
The rock out in the sea before my camp is the end of the old
breakwater and I think the marsh before me is the old port. The Arab
buildings, bazaar, mosque Khan baths are about 150 [750[?]] years
old. They were built by a sultan who passed through Payas on his
way to Mecca [Makkah]. Bathed.