The Wasp, 1913 · page 28 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is from a fictional narrative rather than a political cartoon. It depicts a scene aboard a pirate vessel where Captain Burnham is angered by a failed pursuit—a schooner escaped before the pirates could engage. When Mate Boyle expresses relief they weren't caught, Burnham mocks him, suggesting he'd have died of cowardice rather than combat. The text describes Boyle as self-important ("very fine opinion of himself") and portrays Burnham as frustrated, having wanted violence but forced to suppress his rage. Without additional context about *The Wasp* magazine's satirical targets or when this appeared, it's unclear whether this story satirizes specific historical figures, contemporary political figures, or serves purely as adventure fiction with character commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SS Ea Sr NS Soe ae THE WASP 27 He had hoped for a fight; and he cursed the schooner for her slowness. Three hours later the pirate vessel shifted her helm, hopeless of coming up with her intended prey. The ship’s company cheered at that; the cut- lases and pistols were returned to the lazaretto be- neath the captain’s cabin, and the brass gun was pushed forward to its usual place in the bows. Burnham continued to stand and glower after the schooner until Mr. Boyle, the mate, came to his elbow. “We be properly in luck,” he said. “If Hellfire Hicks had sighted us a couple of hours afore he did, we'd be dead men now, every mother’s son of us!” He was a big man with plump red cheeks and a very fine opinion of himself. “Dead men!” sneered Burnham. “I suppose you mean you would have died of fright if the schooner had come within gunshot of you!” He choked down the meaningless rage that had been brewing in him all these peaceful and unevent- Commichooks.com