Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1893-07-14
HOBBS AND HIS FLAG.
AN EPISODE OF WAR DAYS IN THE
HAReoR OF HONG-KoNG.


lid the retired skipper, there were a
large number of American clippers stall
"a in Hong-Kong harbor, having orders
~ ramain there from their owners, who
toorad tbe Alabama. This arrangement
t 1;S NOT at all please the captains and
a lffi as many of us were anxious to
20 home and ship in the navy, but orders
90 srore orders. We could not leave the
sbins and the frequent visits of the Ala
hama herself to the harbor, forcing her
soIf 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
0rd months as pleasantly as we could,
With all kinds of arrangements for kill
inc time, both on shipboard and on
ahore there was of course continual
ond concerted growl going up from our
little band of Yankee shippers, and old
Hobbs was the star GROWER of us all
,,His ship was the Humming Bird,
brond new clipper hailing from Boston.
The trip out to Hong-Kong had been her
maiden one, and it was chatting to Hobbs
NOT very smooth temper to have her lie
idle so early in her career. Having great
faith in the ships speed and in his own
seamanship, he was more than anxious
n mt to sea and let Semmes catch him
If he could; but, like the rest Of us, his
orders to remain were positive.
occasionally ship would manage to
clear by sailing under some foreign flag,
Int a. it was complicated process in
volying fathoms of red tape and very of
ton fell through just when everything
seemed favorable it was not resorted to
very often. When it was tried, however,
old Hobbs would go on his beam ends
with wrath He would fume and rant,
casting aspersions on the patriotism of
+he owners, the agents, the officials, and
even the Chinese crew. He was so in
tensely patriotic that to see a good Yam
kee craft sail under false colors would
keep him boiling for week.
"You can see what his feelings were
when one day he was ordered to proceed
TO Sumatra under the British flag. He
fumed, ranted and swore and then
fumed. ranted and swore over again,
with few extra choice nautical anath-
emas thrown in for emphasis. This nee
esSary operation over ne sent ashore 10
the native sall1naker ior DrlOlsh nag
the smallest to be had. when it came
aboard-it was about 2 by feet in size
Hobbs looked at it askance and or
dered 1t to be put out OF SlghO uh'ii SUI
ing day ,
SAILING day arrived anu Ihe Drl'i 81
flag was seen Hutterln8 quletly from lIs
proper place on the HullllllhS Dlru' IL
attracted mighty little attention. now
ever, for the Alabama was entering 'ie
harbor. She hoated Slowly along anu
dropped anchor exceedingly CLOSE W .le
Hummlng Bird. About TINS tiine inc
harbor master was seen III ms poat oe-
ing rowed rapidly toward HOLDS SNIP
and huge bundle OF puntlhS apouV 'io
size or an OLD shelIDack sea ciieSo was
rapidly hauled TO the malhtoP Vi 'lo
dummlng BIRD
The harbor master pulled up along
side the HummlnS Blru ana yelle" Iol
the captain 1t could be seen tnaI ne
was angry about somethlhS' 1oopS
came to the rall III MS plug nat ana lohB
tailed bottle green coat the customary
uniform OF Skipper III those Gays
and asked the harpor master WllaC he
could do
- / want you to take down thaI nag
instantly, sir, SAID the harbor master
Guess not, SAID HOLDS
ITS disgrace, sir, and an insult TO
hoist such tiag as that!
w hats the matter Win the nag
SAID Hobbs, surprised.
1T all wrong, SIR; the proportions
are all wrong. The field IS too long tor
Its width, and the rest of 1t IS too WIDE Tor
Its length. The crosses are wrongly az,
ranged, sir, and 1t Is a vile carlcature Oh
an honored flag, sir! Remove 1t lmme-
diatelyH
Guess not, said Hobbs again. '1haG
nag was bought III a British port ana
made by British subject. lie was a
Cmnaman, but that Is neither here nor
there don't care II 1t Is the nag oI