“Memorial Day” at Nanaimo, in British Columbia, Canada, 1892
The Amusing Mistakes of Several American Skippers.
Port Townsend, June 2—An amusing incident occurred at Nanaimo, on Thursday, May 26. The ships Carrollton, Captain Lewis; the Sea King, Captain Pierce, and the Oriental, Captain Parker, were in port waiting for cargoes of coal. Captain Parker, being in need of water, set the ensign at the peak, which is a signal for the water-boat to come alongside. Captain Pierce observed the signal, and, thinking it was in honor of Memorial Day, ran up his colors. He went ashore, and met Captain Lewis, of whom he inquired the reason why the Stars and Stripes were not at the peak of the Carollton. The latter replied : “Why, that’s so, it is Memorial Day,” and forthwith ordered up the ensign. Captain Parker waited impatiently three or four hours for the water tender, and also thought it strange that the other vessels wanted water. To hurry matters, he went ashore. In the meantime, Captain Freeman, of the Glory of the Seas, had come down from Departure Bay, and was astonished to see the American vessels with their colors at the peak. He inquired of Lewis & Pierce the cause and was gravely informed that it was out of respect for Memorial Day. Both Parker and Freeman have been royally entertained since that time by the two patriotic skippers, both of whom had just returned from the Queen’s celebration at Victoria, which in all probability accounts for the little discrepancy in dates.
Victoria Daily Colonist newspaper, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Saturday, 4 June 1892.
Read this issue at the British Colonist Online Edition: 1858-1910