The Wasp, 1918 · page 176 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 176: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be **narrative fiction rather than political satire**—specifically, a serialized adventure story set aboard a ship. The text describes a violent duel between characters named Bolt and Burnham, with Bolt's death resulting from a rapier wound after he attempts to stab Burnham with a cutlass. The dialogue that follows, spoken by sailors observing the corpse, characterizes Bolt as both treacherous (he previously stabbed someone called "Jersee Dick") and ambitious (he had the captain's favor and sought the quartermaster's position). The sailors' reactions suggest Bolt was disliked despite his strength and connections. **Without seeing the actual cartoon/illustration**, I cannot identify specific caricatures or political references. The page's satire target—if any—remains unclear from the text alone. This reads as **adventure fiction serialization**, possibly with satirical undertones about ship hierarchy and character that would require the visual component to fully interpret.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 167 Bolt plunged the points of his cutlass at Burnham’s abdomen; but Burnham had been watching him from the corner of one eye and twirled aside in the nick of time. The broad point went through the tongue of Burnham’s leather belt, within an inch of his hip, and | ' pinned him to the bulkhead. Before Bolt could ~ withdraw it Burnham drove the point of his rapier into his assailant’s right side, through and through. Bolt sank with a scream, fell sidewise, and his blood spurted over the woman’s feet and the - hem of her silken robe. She had the grace to cringe back against the ship’s side and cover her eyes with her hands. Bolt was dead. The three in the doorway stared at the bulky corpse with astonishment and satisfaction depicted on their faces. ** He was allus treacherous, was Bolt,’’ said one. ‘ Mind how he ran his knife into Jersee Dick, mates | But he was strong with the captain.” : ** Aye, Pe was strong with Peper, said another, “ an’ he’d get the quartermaster’s berth, sure’s he’s gone below, but for the fact - as how he’s dead. Treacherots, aye and a : bully ! 22 99 73 comicbooks.com