The Wasp, 1913 · page 24 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be an excerpt from a serialized fiction story rather than a political cartoon. The narrative depicts a merchant ship encountering a suspected pirate vessel at sea. The characters—Captain Hobkirk, mate Mr. Boyle, and crew member Burnham—prepare for potential combat upon spotting a suspicious schooner. Hobkirk identifies the threat as possibly "Major Deck" or "Duval the Frenchman," both known pirate captains operating fast schooners. The social commentary embedded here critiques England's maritime vulnerability: Hobkirk protests that "every honest trader must run for his life and cargo," suggesting widespread piracy threatens legitimate commerce. This reflects 19th-century concerns about privateering and piracy's economic impact on British trade routes. The narrative uses this threat to establish dramatic tension while highlighting a genuine contemporary problem affecting shipping and national prosperity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 23 gers. He longed for a fight. He saw that he was not born to peace under any conditions. The ship was within a day of her destination , when the sudden, clear dawn discovered another vessel to windward. The stranger was a topsail schooner. Hobkirk regarded her apprehensively through a long telescope, then passed the glass to the mate. Mr. Boyle looked and wagged his head. Another head-sail was run up. The brass gun on the forecastle-head was cleared of its jacket and run aft. The boatswain served out cutlases to all hands. “What is she?” asked Burnham, feeling a pleas- ant glow in his breast. “A bloody pirate, Pll take my oath,” returned Hobkirk. “Him they call Major Deck, maybe, or Duval the Frenchman. They both sail schooners for speed. It’s a disgrace to England that every honest trader must run for his life and cargo every v yage!”’ Comichooks.com