The Wasp, 1918 · page 42 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **narrative prose fiction**, not a political cartoon or satire. It appears to be serialized story content from *The Wasp* magazine. The text describes James Burnham, a castaway, being rescued by a Boston-bound merchant brig headed to Barbados. Weakened by hunger, Burnham drinks from a water cask and attempts to signal the ship. Once aboard, the skeptical ship's master—described with physical detail (goatish beard, shaven upper lip)—questions Burnham about his survival story involving someone named Peter Queery. **Without the illustrated portion visible**, it's unclear whether there's accompanying satirical artwork or if this is purely textual content. The narrative itself contains no obvious political satire or social commentary—it reads as a straightforward adventure tale typical of 19th-century periodical fiction. To fully explain the satire or editorial intent, the accompanying illustrations would be necessary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WASP 33 Then he turned, took up the little oaken breaker, pulled the plug with’ his teeth, and drank — deep. _ All the east now was awash with gold and rose. oe stood on a thwart and flapped the square of canvas several times at arm’s length above his head. He sat down, manned the oars, and pulled in the brig’s direction with all his strength. His strokes soon lagged and faltered, for he was weak with hunger. The sun cleared the horizon, the sails of the brig lost their tints of rose and the hull its opales- cent quality. The heavens shone blue from sea- rim to sea-rim. James Burnham was taken aboard the brig, which proved to beanhonest vessel from the New _ England town of Boston, bound for Barbados. The castaway sank upon the deck. There piping hot coffee and coarse sea fare from the galley were brought to-him. ‘The master of the brig, an elderly, lear person on a goatish beard and a long, shaven upper lip, watched him eat and drink with calculating regard, and then questioned him. Burnham told the true story. . his adventure with Peter - Queery. “ Yer tale sounds likely eons. 5 young 1 man,’ comichooks.com