Judge, 1909-10-23 · page 8 of 16
Judge — October 23, 1909 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip mocks the famous 1909 controversy over who first reached the North Pole: Frederick Cook or Robert Peary. The protagonist "Nervy Nat" is an incompetent explorer attempting the same feat. The satire depicts Nat's absurd priorities and incompetence: he complains about a grocer's animal crackers assortment, mentions leaving New York's lights on, and treats the pole as a novelty ice-holder for drinks rather than a serious scientific achievement. A manatee character points out Nat doesn't even understand basic polar geography ("breathing-hole"). The reference to "Peary and Cook" in panel 4 directly invokes the real expedition rivalry, while the "Great White Way" joke plays on both Arctic imagery and the Broadway theater district nickname. The humor works by contrasting Nat's casual, buffoonish approach with the genuine heroic claims and acrimony between the actual explorers—satirizing both polar exploration mania and the dubious authenticity of competing expedition claims.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1, Nervy Nat—" If my animal crackers only hold out I'll get that old pole yet. That swindling grocer in Spitzbergville yave me mostly elephants and St. Bernard dogs, and there 's twice as much nutriment in cows and bears. Oh, Watts and kilowatts! I left the electric light turned on in New York !" 2. Nervy Nat—" Beg, pardon, old dap: b could tell me” Mr. Manatee" Vhe pole s thee blo ming-hole. A mere penguin could have pointe you fellers. I never will finish my pxtare poz + 4. Nervy Nat—" Peary and Cook! ‘The bally old pole might: melt meanwhile. 5. Nervy Nat—" Well, boys. ovet the arc Rather a nice thing to have tor highballs in case I run out of ice before I get back. Talk over this blanc mange. “There's 2 seal eandwi about your Great White Way !" thing, 'Y" know the funny part of 11 1 ¥asn first. | 1 just happened to be taking the #ernog denly thought— Gee !” THE TRUE STORY OF THE DISC COOK AND PEARY poTH OUT ——e,