Judge, 1919-08-02 · page 9 of 36
Judge — August 2, 1919 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Tragedy of the Sea" Explanation This is a humorous short story with illustrations, not political satire. It mocks the comical mishearing of a ship's name during a sea encounter. **The Setup:** Captain Osro Pukkins commands the "Shawanagunk," a ship christened at Hog Island (referencing a real WWI-era shipbuilding program). When another vessel hails him asking his ship's name, the repeated back-and-forth devolves into comedic chaos—Pukkins eventually just yells "Gunk, gunk, gunk!" because the other captain keeps mishearing "Shawanagunk." **The Joke:** The story plays on the absurdity of the ship's actual name and escalating miscommunication at sea. The punchline comes later when Pukkins converts to piracy, repainting his vessel "Queen of the South" by painting over "gunk" from the original name—the very word that caused all the confusion. The humor relies on wordplay, the Maine captain's colorful dialect, and the ridiculous situation rather than political commentary. It's lighthearted satire about naval bureaucracy and human stubbornness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Tragedy of the Sea Ry Kexsetu L. Roserts mong ships re ristened at Hog Island ¢ Ouistconck, the Sh 1 » the Schickshinn its and the Shunkseut.’—News Item. Ie APTAIN OSRO PUKKINS, master of the C good ship Shawanagunk, strode moodily up and down the Shawanagunk’s bridge. Captain Puk- kins hailed from the State of Maine, and the bay rum toddy with which he had topped off his frugal supper of two quarts of fish chowder, eighteen sody biscuit ard twelve flapjacks did not tend to soothe him as his daily slug of Jamaica ginger had been wont to do before Maine put the ban on Jamaica ginger. Suddenly a hoarse voice floated up over the Sha- wanagunk’s starboard quarter. “What ship is that?” bawled the hoarse voice. “Shawanagunk, five days outa Portland,” bellowed Captain Pukkins moodily. “How's that bawled the hoarse voice. “Shawanagunk! Shawanagunk!” bellowed Cap- tain Pukkins. hawana chat?” bawled the hoarse voice. “Gunk, gunk, gunk!” howled Captain Pukkins “Shawanagunk! Shawanagunk! Shawanagunk!” 20th p t that plane upside down till all “Shawanagunk!” echoed the hoarse voice incredu- ‘ale ee a! ny, AC ‘ihe hawanagunk Can 1 board rail and passed slowly astern, punctuated ever peat it. Ohawanagunk. 4s 2 sat ¢ “Sha hag ' vee <— and anon by a derisive shout of “Shawanagunk! *Ya-as, Shawanagunk! shricked Captain Pukkins 8 “Tf you've got any kick, come aboard and I'll shawana- gunk you! WO days later the good ship “Queen of the South’ Hoarse hoots of laughter floated up over the star- was heading southwest. Captain Osro Pukkins, happily H contemplating a black flag on which Z 7 was emblazoned a_ spotless white . skull and crossbones, strode briskly up and down the bridge. From the bows came the smell 0° fresh paint, as a jolly jack tar pre- pared to paint the word “South” over the dimly discernible letters “gunk.” “We'll head down into Flores Sea,” said Captain Pukkins to the first mate. “J know an island down there with a golden beach and won- derful palm trees and the purtiest gals and hard likker that would knock your eye out!” “Me for that!”” said the mate. “T couldn’t have stood th Shawanagunk © stuff much lor “Don’t you say Shawanagunk to me again! shouted Captain Pukkins in a sudden passion, “or Tl stop the Shunkscut and have you put aboard her!” Cowering, the first mate hid himself beneath the folds of the Jolly Roger; and the “Queen of the South” ploughed steadily south- west. : Sy SAL YES nd [ bammed the little 1 should say ‘I saz nes today, and comicbooks.com