The Wasp, 1913 · page 85 of 364
The Wasp — 1913 — page 85: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a narrative fiction excerpt rather than a political cartoon. The passage depicts **Captain Algernon Nash, governor of Nevis** (a Caribbean island), arriving in panic with armed servants after his daughter Elizabeth goes missing. The satire targets colonial authority figures: Nash is portrayed as a pompous, out-of-shape administrator, comically undignified while wielding weapons and threatening executions ("some necks will be stretched"). His overreaction—mobilizing armed men and immediately threatening death—mocks both colonial governance and the arbitrary cruelty of colonial officials. The reference to "Turk" (likely a horse) and a mysterious "gentleman" (Burnham) who rescued Elizabeth unconscious suggests a melodramatic plot. The "musket shots" hint at action and danger typical of serialized adventure fiction *The Wasp* published. Without seeing illustrations or knowing the publication date, the exact satirical target remains unclear, but the piece clearly ridicules colonial administrators' pomposity and casual authoritarianism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
82 THE WASP Captain Algernon Nash, governor of Nevis, was past middle age and of impressive proportions. Running was not a favorite exercise of his. He was puffing desperately now and his round face was flaming. He had lost his hat, his wig sat upon his head at a rakish angle, and in each hand he bran- dished a large horse-pistol. Half a dozen servants, some black and some white, variously armed with cutlases, clubs, and pistols, crowded upon his heels. “You, Elizabeth!” he cried. “Turk came home with an empty saddle, and I sent a score of men out to search for you. But who are these? And what is the meaning of the musket shots?” The young woman put her arms about his neck. “Turk threw me, this gentleman found me un- conscious, and brought me home,” she said, nod- ding toward Burnham. “He brought me to the harbor in a boat, and since landing we have been pursued and fired upon.” “Fired upon, you!” roared the governor. “Zounds, but some necks will be stretched for this! Comichooks.com