The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-28
HOBBS AND HIS FLAG.
An EPISODE OF WAR DAYS IN THE
HAReOR OF hONc-kONG.

-~
Con6dence D" HE ship and who DARED
b Aiaba@s-Elying Two Fl.ss In Nsu
svsI Watermelon the Escape Wa Made
During the greater part OF the war;
said the retired skipper. there were 4
large number Of American clippers stall,
ed in Hong-kong harbor. having order.
to remain there from their owners, who
feared the Alabama. This arrangement
did not II, all please the captains and
officers. as many of US were anxious to
% homo and ship in the navy. but orders
were orders. We could not leave the
ships. and the frequent visits Of the Ala.
bama herself to tie harbor. forcing her.
self into our midst. as the saying goes,
were very vivid reminders that neutral
waters were "A pretty good sort Of an in
vention.
although we passed the long weeks
and months as pleasantly as we could.
with all kinds of arrangements for kill
ing time, both on shiipoard and on
shore. there was Of course q continual
and concerted gr"wl going up from our
little bando lalIAee shippers. and old
Hobbs was che star growler Of us all.
His ship wis the Humming Bril-. a
brand new clipper mailing from Boston
The trip ont Ia Hony-kong had been her
maiden one. and It vas chafing to Hobbs
not very sihooth temper to have her lie
idle so early III her career. Having great
faith III the ships speed and in his own
s~eamanship. he was more than anxious
to put to sea and let Seinmes catch him
If he could: hut. like the rest of MS. his
rders to remain We're positive.
Occasionally Il ship would manage to
clear by sailing under some foreign flag.
but as it was IA complicated process in
volving fathoms Of red tape and very of.
ten fell through just When everything
seemed favorable it was not resorted tn
very often. When II wa tried. however
old Hobbs would go on his beam ends
with wrath. He would fume and rant
casting aspersion> on the patriotism: Ct
the owners. the agents. the officials. All,
even the Chinese crew. File was so ~
tensely patriotic that to see a good Yam
kee craft sail under false colors wurii
keep him boiling for n week.
"Tou can see what his feelings w.f.
. ~ NhN ~ was w lI'N' Y
to Sumatra under the British Rag. He
fumed. rante1 and swore and ti,e,
fumed, ranted and swore over again
with a few extra choice nautical anath
emas thrown in for emphasis. This uec,
essary operation over he sent ashore to
the native s~ailmaker's for a British flag
the smallest TO he had. When il came
Aboard-it was about 2 by 4 feet in size
Hobbs looked at it askance AMI o,
dered it 10 I've put out Of sight until sail.
ing day
sailing day arrived. and the British
flag was seen fiuttering quietly from its
proper place on the Humming Bird. II
attracted mighty little attention, how.
for the Alabama was entering tn.
harbor. She f1oated slowly along anu
dropped anchor exceedingly close to the
Hnmming Bird. About this time the
harbor master was seen i'll his boat be.
ing rowed rapidly toward Hobbs ship.
and a hinge bundle of bunting about the
size of an Old she!lback.s sea chest wa
rapidly hauled to the maintop Of the
Humming Bird.
The harbor master pulled up along
side the Humminy Bird and yelled for
the captain. IL could be seen that he
was angry about something. Hobbs
came TO the rail in his plug hat and long
bottle green coat. the cnstomar,
of "A skipper in those days, !
and asked the harbor master what he
conld do.
II want You 10 take down that IA
instantly, sir, said the harbor master. a..
"'Guess not, said Hobbs.
Its a disgrace, sir. and an insult IL
lolst ,uch a flag as that.
Whats the matter with the flag.
,aid Hobbs, surprised.
It's all wrong, sir: the proportions
ire all wrong. The field Is too long 20,
= width. and the rest Of it is too wide for
Is length The crosses are wrongly ar.
'anaed. sir, and it is a vile caricature Of
IN honored flag. sir! Remove It imrne
Guess not, said Hobbs again. That
lag was bought in a British port and
made by a British subject. He was .
,hinaman, but that is neither here nor
! don't care If il is the flag If
50 long as it was sold 10 me
that Of England. Good morning.
The harbor master had nothing TO say
this and started back. but ne had NJ
0oner done 80 than the main halliards
we're pulled. the bundle at the peak
,roks out. and in a second the stars and
tripss were waving before the aston
shed eyes of the harbor master, the Yam
Zee shippers and Captain Semmes of the
Indeed. SO large was Old
ilory In this particular case that it al
most brushed the Alabamais decks, the
Vessels being SO near together. The huge
lag had been presented TO the ship a.
YER launching and to the excited spec
&tors IN THE occasion seemed larger
han the ship herself.
The harbor master put about, angrIeI
nan before, and demanded explanations
WHAT does that flag mean. slrF salt