The Wasp, 1913 · page 216 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 216: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains text from a serialized story rather than a political cartoon. The narrative describes a pirate or criminal captain ("Slim Sam") aboard a schooner, enforcing brutal discipline among his crew. After one member breaks a rule, the captain—initially ready to shoot—is persuaded to spare him only because the crew is understaffed. The captain warns this mercy won't be repeated. The story then describes the crew putting ashore at a lawless port to offload treasure and resupply before returning to sea. The tone is sensationalized adventure fiction typical of *The Wasp*, a San Francisco satirical weekly. Without seeing illustrations or surrounding context, the political/social satire remains unclear. It may reference contemporary California maritime crime, labor conditions, or lawlessness in frontier ports—but this cannot be confirmed from 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 211 with a gasping gurgle. He brandished his pistols. But the whispering voice of Slim Sam went on at his ear. He choked. He lowered his pistols and listened again. : “Let it be so!” he cried at last. “I stand by the tules; but, ye white-livered spawn of the gutter, I’ve learned my lesson! One 0’ ye broke a rule yes- terday; but because we are short-handed I spared him. The like will never happen again.” The schooner’s course was changed; and, three days later, Héléne was put ashore in a little lawless port unknown to honest mariners. Other treasure went ashore there also and into secret places. Fresh water was taken aboard, and, after four days of carousing in that spot that looked like heaven, but which was, in fact, nearer hell than any place oné earth, the dangerous company put to sea for another cruise. Comichooks.com