The Wasp, 1913 · page 200 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 200: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be text from a serialized adventure story rather than a political cartoon. It depicts a violent pirate narrative featuring a character named James Burnham who has just killed someone (apparently an associate of the pirate "Hellfire Hicks") during a boarding action at sea. The dialogue reveals period nautical slang and character types typical of 19th-century adventure fiction: sailors discussing a treacherous, bullying man who exploited connections ("strong with Trimmer") for advancement. Burnham and an unnamed woman escape a sinking vessel while other survivors attempt to plunder treasure chests below deck. Without seeing the original illustrations or understanding *The Wasp's* typical satirical targets, it's unclear whether this narrative parodies specific contemporary figures or simply entertains readers with swashbuckling action. The content lacks obvious political messaging visible in the text alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 195 _ “Aye, he was strong with Trimmer,” said an- other, “‘an’ he’d get the quartermaster’s berth, sure’s he’s gone below, but for the fact as how he’s dead. — Treacherous, aye, and a bully!” “That’s him,” said the third; “and he was the same afore he turned gentleman o’ fortune. Handy with the iron, he was!” James Burnham withdrew his sword from the dead body and stepped out into the main cabin. The woman followed him. The wounded men were still there; but one had ceased to crawl in his quest for treasure and lay flat on his face—dead. Burn- ham glanced around him, then went on deck; and the woman followed him close. The three other unwoundéd survivors of the boarding party re- mained below to break into the late Hellfire Hicks’s treasure chests. Burnham and the woman reached the deck just in time to behold the last plunge of the valiant brig. She went down head first, and the bright and lively seas danced over her grave. The white schooner was approaching, her work Comichooks.com