The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-16


feared the Alabama. This arrange
ment did not at all please the captains
and officers, as many of us were anxious
to go home and ship in the navy: but or
ders were orders. We could not leave
the ships, and the frequent visits of the
Alabama herself to the harbor, forcing
herself into our midst as the saying
goes, were very vivid reminders that
neutral waters were a pretty good sort
of invention.
although we passed the long weeks
and months as pleasantly as we could
with all kinds Of arrangements for kill
ing time, both on shipboard and on
. shore, there was, of course, d continual
and concerted growl going up from our
little band of Yankee shippers; and old
Hobbs was the star growler of us all.
Now, to attain that distinction among
sailors man must growl at the slight
est provocation, vehemently and with
highly artistic feeling-not to mention
generous flavoring of profanity. So
you can imagine the effect when Hobbs
opened out at something that displeased
him.
His ship was the Humming Bird, a
brand-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
seamanship. he was more than anxious
to put 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: but. as it was a complicated
process involving fathoms of red tape,
and very often 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 the owners. the
agents, the officers, and even the Chi
nese crew. He was SO intensely patri-
otto that to see 4 good Yankee craft
sail under false colors would keep him
boiling for week
You can see then what his feelings
were when one day he was ordered 10
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
anathemas thrown in for emphasis.
This necessary operation over. he sent
- n
British flag, the smallest To be had.
When it cane aboard-it was about two
by four feet in SiZe-Hobbs looked at il
askance. and ordered it put out of sight
until sailing day.
Sailing day arrived. and the British
flag was seen huttering quietly from its
proper place on the Humming Bird 1t
attracted mighty little attention. how
ever. for the Alabama was entering
the harbor. She hoated slowly along
and dropped anchor exceedingly close
TO the Hummiag Bird. About this time
the harbor master was seer IN his boat
being rowed rapidly towards Hobbs
ship. and huge bundle OF bunting,
about the size OF an old shellback's sea
chest, was rapidly hauled to the main
top of the Humning Bird
The harbor master pulled NJ along
side the Humming Bird and yelled for
the captain. 1t could be seen that he
was angry about something. Hobbs
came TO the rail IN his plug hat and
long-tailed bottle-Creen coat. the Gus
tomary uniform OF skipper in those
days. and asked the harbor master what
+ he could do.
II want you 10 take down that flag
instantly. sir said the ha-bor master
Guess not, said Hobbs