The Wasp — 1913 — page 93: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is **prose narrative**, not a cartoon—it's from a serialized story in *The Wasp* (a 19th-century American satirical publication). The scene depicts a **colonial or period drama**: A young man named James Burnham, bearing a family crest branded on his back, has washed ashore in desperate condition. A governor and surgeon tend to him, recognizing his aristocratic English lineage (the Burnhams of Berkshire). The governor assures Burnham he's safe among friends and instructs the surgeon to medicate him. The narrative reveals Burnham escaped a "New England brig" (ship) with help from a boy named Todd. The details—the branded crest, the shipwreck, the mysterious escape—suggest an adventure story involving class, identity, and maritime misfortune. Without seeing the full publication context or date, the specific satirical target remains **unclear**—though the emphasis on English aristocracy and colonial settings suggests possible social commentary on class or colonial relations typical of 19th-century American satire.