Life, 1909-10-14 · page 12 of 36
Life — October 14, 1909 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes a traveler's exaggerated claim to have "discovered" Boston. The article mimics exploration narratives, with a character named Cook claiming exclusive knowledge of the city—"No Land in Sight Anywhere. Exclusive Story of Wanderings and Victory." The humor lies in the absurdity: Boston, a major American city, is presented as an uncharted discovery requiring heroic documentation. Cook's self-aggrandizing account (200,000-word story about "icebergs" and "bean belt") parodies both explorers' tall tales and the pretentious lecture-circuit culture of the era. The illustrations show camping and wilderness imagery, treating an established urban center as undiscovered territory—mocking both travelers' exaggerations and Boston's cultural significance being treated as shocking revelation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Boston Is Ours! Discovered at Last. No Land in Sight Anywhere. Exclusive Story of Wanderings and Victory HIS morning Lire received the fol- lowing wireless: Have been to Boston with me. At 2.30 p. m. came this: Tut, tut. 1 have Boston with Who stole my nutmeg grater? I am a gentleman and a scholar, and I refuse to Cook is Peary. Bringing it back Coox. me. let anyone else discover Boston a liar, and I can prove it. Immediately on receipt of these tele- grams, we announced the discovery to the world, The fact that Peary had only a Connecticut man with him, and there- fore no one who could verify the story of his great discovery, need make no dif- ference. Peary is too well known by all the lecture bureaus and the presidents of our leading sporting clubs to have his word questioned. As for Cook, his story, which follows, speaks for itself. Only the thought of his immense fees sustained my Pullman porter. What is Boston like? is the question naturally that everyone will ask. My re- Not like anything I have ever seen before. Therefore, how can I de- During there the neter was 200 below. They said warm day. The first night I camped in the literary district, but couldn't stand it, and moved out on Mas- sachusetts Bay. The next morning we returned, there being no signs of pitality anywhere. We were ten coming and eleven days going. fill in the details later when I can de- termine the price per word I am going to get ply is: scribe it? my. stay therm it was Coox. Lire, New York. I have Boston by the neck. Am bring- Camping in the Literary District ON THE WAY BACK PROM BOSTON, Lire, New York, I shall be back in New York in time for the fall lecture season. That I the only man who has ever found Boston I confidently believe, and, if necessary, I will send back and get the Fifth avenue stage I left there. During the last ten days I traveled at the rate of nearly four miles a day. This may seem incredible, but it is true. As we neared the Boston Common our despair knew no bounds. am ing back a Boston girl to prove it. Mine was no Cook’s tour. The importance of discovery cannot be imagined, but I all describe it later in scientific lan- guage. Boston is mine! Following is a scientific record of my trip: First’ day. Pressed onward. Ther- mometer from thirty to forty degrees Dogs well Second day. Pressed onward. Sent back all reliable witnesses. Otherwise they might want to get out a book them- selves, or lecture No dust Scenery Pressed onward. Pressed onward Third day Fourth day still continues Fifth day scenery th day. Boston. in Somerset Club and didn’t strike bot; Pressed onward. More Took soundings tom. Everywhere solid ice, just as we suspected Return journey ditto. Am writing a two hundred word story about the icebergs we saw and bean belt. Notify publishers. Cook is no good. He is a fakir, a thief, a liar, a glutton and a wife beater. I wouldn't have, noticed him anyway if I had seen him. As Lam the only unprejudiced per- son competent to judge, it is only neces- sary for me to say that he didn’t do Peary. arises: What that we thousand The question naturally shall we do with Boston, have it? now “Pressed onward” comicbooks.com