The Wasp, 1913 · page 51 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 51: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be **text narrative rather than a cartoon**—a serialized story about a shipboard fight. The scene depicts a brawl between Smith and Burnham aboard a vessel, where Burnham uses clever footwork to evade Smith's attacks. Mate Winch intervenes by striking Burnham with a belaying-pin (a nautical tool), after which Burnham is imprisoned in the ship's forecastle. The passage is naturalistic fiction describing nautical life and maritime conflict. Without seeing the original cartoon or knowing the publication date, it's unclear whether this satirizes real contemporary figures or events, or if it's simply adventure storytelling. *The Wasp* was a San Francisco satirical magazine, so it may reference local politics or personalities, but the text alone doesn't reveal those connections. This reads as serialized adventure fiction rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LD 50 THE WASP ut atlas a ae Slee eS a stepped aside a fraction of a second before the in- stant of collision, and again he used his artful foot to advantage. This time Smith measured his full length upon the planking. Burnham laughed dan- gerously, and decided in a flash that he would meet the next attack with his fist instead of his foot. Smith scrambled up with a splutter of oaths, and at that moment Mr. Winch, the mate, who had left the cabin by way of the after-companion, smote Burnham on the back of the head with a belaying- pin. When Burnham recovered consciousness it was to find himself in the brig’s forecastle, alone, ironed, and sprawled in-a corner. His head, neck and shoulders ached dully, and the back of his skull was as tender as a boil. His stomach was heavy and his mouth was dry. The stagnant air of the forecastle stank of dead tobacco-smoke, of bilge, of soiled garments and hu- manity. This dismal apartment was below the level of the deck and slam in the brig’s bows, and such light and ventilation as it could boast were sup- Comichooks.com