The Wasp, 1913 · page 256 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 256: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains serialized fiction rather than a political cartoon. It depicts a naval battle involving multiple vessels: a sloop (commanded by someone named Scovil), a brig called the *Tartar*, a white schooner, and a French ship. The narrative describes an exchange of cannon fire between these vessels at sea. The text references "the Frenchman," suggesting this is likely a naval engagement from a historical period when France and Britain (or America) were adversaries—possibly the Napoleonic Wars or American Revolutionary era, though the page provides no explicit dating. The passage emphasizes the tactical vulnerability of Scovil's damaged vessel after losing its topmast and men in combat. This appears to be a dramatic moment in a longer serialized story rather than satirical commentary on current events. Without additional context about *The Wasp* magazine's publication date or the story's origin, the specific historical reference remains unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 251 Dawn broke, showing the brig astern of the sloop and within a quarter of a mile of her, and the white schooner about a quarter of a mile off the brig’s port bow. “What in the world is that fellow about?” asked Scovil. “He’s lying close to the danger zone, and may get his fingers scorched. Let us pray that he will!” Just then the Frenchman let fly with his bow guns. The sloop replied from her taffrail. The smoke of the guns clung white and low to the little waves and was gradually spread by the wind. The schooner sheered off. Half an hour passed without another shot. Then the brig, now on the sloop’s quarter, swung and de- livered a broadside. The Tartar staggered, but re- plied. The schooner, half a mile away, let a puff of smoke out of her nose. Scovil saw it, but had no time to think about it. He swung, and hulled the brig with his heavy stern-pieces. Ten minutes later he lost ‘his topmast and a dozen men. Crippled, he knew that he was now at the brig’s mercy. She would take her position and rake’ Comichooks.com