The Wasp, 1918 · page 47 of 330
The Wasp — 1918 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **no cartoon or satirical imagery**—it's prose fiction from *The Wasp* magazine, appearing to be Chapter III of a serialized story. The text describes a confrontation between **James Burnham** (a castaway or passenger) and a **ship's master** aboard a vessel. Burnham, recovered from illness, politely requests tobacco and information about his berth. The shipmaster responds with violence, attacking Burnham's throat. Burnham, however, demonstrates superior reflexes and fighting skill, evading the attacks by stepping aside—suggesting he's a more refined or educated man outmaneuvering a rough, brutish sailor. The narrative appears designed to establish Burnham as the protagonist: courteous yet capable, contrasted against an uncouth adversary. This reflects common 19th-century adventure-fiction tropes favoring educated protagonists over working-class antagonists. Without additional context about the specific story or publication date, the precise satirical intent remains unclear.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
If] Wuen night fell James Burnham felt sufficiently - revived in body and spirit to assert himself. He ascended the short ladder which led to the _, circumscribed poop-deck and accosted the ship- master, who was lounging against the larboard rail with a pipe between his teeth. “TI find you remiss in hospitality, and must — ask you for tobacco, a pipe in which to smokeit, and some definite information as to the where- abouts of my berth,” he said coolly. | A string of rattling oaths flew from the ship- | master, and he sprang from the support of the low rail straight at _burnham’ s throat. The castaway stepped nimbly aside and shot out his right foot, and the New Englander stumbled across the narrow deck and came in sharp contact © with the starboard rail. He turned, however, quick asa cat, and sprang — again at the friendless castaway. Again Burn- ham stepped aside a fraction of a second before ae instant of collision, and again he used his 38 icomichooks:com|