Life, 1897-12-23 · page 7 of 20
Life — December 23, 1897 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Life's Polar Expedition" This page satirizes Commander Hornblower's Arctic expedition to reach the South Pole. The cartoon depicts the expedition team (shown as silhouettes trudging across snowy terrain) and includes illustrated scenes of polar conditions. The satire focuses on Mrs. Hornblower, the Commander's wife, who anxiously awaits his return at home. The text mocks the expedition's scientific claims while highlighting the domestic anxiety it causes—Mrs. Hornblower worries about her husband's safety and wants to see Miss Belle Bunker, apparently a popular lecturer. The joke appears to be about how polar expeditions, presented as grand scientific endeavors, are actually sources of personal worry for those left behind. The accompanying illustrations and detailed expedition log entries underscore the contrast between heroic adventure narrative and mundane domestic concern.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life’s Polar Expedition. B* the time this reaches our readers, the Same Old Game will probably have reached the Pole, From the last reports she was only five miles away and still moving. Commander Horn blower is exceeding our wildest expectations, and the manner in which he is conducting the ex- pedition shows his unexampled heroism and devotion to the art of advertising. Not a single scientific discovery has been made thus far which is of use to anyone, but on his return him to their arms with matchless fervor. And why? Because it is necessary that they should gush over something, and Commander Hornblower unites all the qualities of a popular lecturer with the brass of a foreign author. The only thing that the Comman- der has to fear on his return is Mrs. Hornblower, This estimable lady called at this office a fe since, with rs in her eyes and dagger concealed beneath her skirt- waist. She had seen the picture of Miss Belle Bunker, she said, and was anxiously waiting to interview her husband on his arrival home. She would also like to Miss Bunker. The Commander, no doubt, would find it very cold at the Pole, but she would make it warm enough for him when he got She was informed that the truce interests of science demanded Miss Bunker's constant attendance on the Stme Old Game, but this had no effect. She became violent, and will, no doubt, have to be put in a sanitarium, This is her hus band’s only hope. Latest advices @ la carricr-pigeon from Commander Hornblower are as follow Dec. 15.—We are now within five miles of the Pole. This morning we weighed anchor in Halifax Harbor, and I slapped on everything the old girl had. With everything sheeted home, from the sky sails to the spanker boom, the hatches battened down, two lookouts on the bow sprit with pitchforks to fender off the icebergs, the bartender at his post and the crew asleep, we sped on northward Ateight bells we passe Newfound land with flying colors, at two bells we were at Capes North and Fare well, and at noon I came up on deck. after a charming téte-d-téte with Miss Sadie Greene, our stowaway, to hear the natives cheer us at Sukkertoppen Godthaab. We slid through Baffin’s Bay at three bells in the afternoon and at Ward's Island, with the log showing two hundred knots an hour, I opened a small bottle in the after-cabin in view of Cape Wash- ington. This afternoon in the d watch we left Lockwood Island in our wake, and we are now, as the Chinese gong rings for dinner, almost S | in sight of our goal. I must xo below <= S} and put on my evening clothes. the American public will take In lat. 99.99, Commander Hornblower takes his first and only bath. Dec. 16.—There is trouble in the comicbooks.com