The Journal of George Townley Fullam..., first printed as a supplement to the South Africa Advertiser and Mail, Cape Town, contains interesting details of the prizes taken by the Alabama.
When Capt. Semmes took charge, the Confederate ensign was at the peak, the English St. George's at the fore, and the pennant on the main.
"To all prizes we had captured we hoisted English colours, and exchanged them for Confederate as soon as the boarding officer gained the vessel's deck."

The information about the use of English colors is new to me.
A piece of the journal is on line, google books; it does not include the part about stops at Cape Town.