The Wasp, 1913 · page 298 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 298: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is prose narrative rather than a political cartoon—it appears to be a serialized story from *The Wasp* magazine (Chapter XVII). The text describes a dramatic encounter aboard a ship involving Captain Smith, Mr. Winch, and a visitor named M. Hatte. The scene depicts a pirate confrontation: M. Hatte, initially mistaken for a French trader, reveals himself as "a bloody pirate, and one o' the Wasp's company," drawing knives and threatening Smith and Winch at gunpoint in the ship's cabin. The narrative builds tension through dialogue written in period nautical dialect ("Ye took me," "yer flippers"). Without seeing the broader context or publication date, the satirical purpose remains unclear—whether this mocks maritime trade, piracy, or specific historical events. The *Wasp's* reference to itself ("Wasp's company") suggests possible self-referential humor typical of satirical publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
XVII { MITH refused to show his fish until the rum and brandy were brought aboard the brig, so a large keg of rum and a small keg of brandy were hoisted out of the fore-and-after and up the brig’s side. This M. Hatte was evidently a simpleton. When eZ Smith invited him into the cabin he went. Mr. Winch entered the cabin also. The captain served rum and water in earthenware mugs, and all three sat down at the table. The visitor produced two heavy knives from the folds of his sash, one in each hand. “Ye took me for a French trader, did ye?” he said. “Up with yer flippers! I be a bloody pirate, and one o’ the Wasp’s company. Sit where ye be, mates!” Captain Smith and Mr. Winch held their hands -above their heads and stared at their guest with hor- 293 Commichooks.comm