The Wasp — 1888 — page 138: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon illustrates the proverb about swallowing a camel while straining at a gnat—meaning accepting major wrongs while objecting to minor ones. The scene depicts what appears to be ship's officers or officials in a cabin, with one figure literally swallowing a large camel while surrounded by various items, rules postings, and other figures reacting in distress or surprise. The satire likely criticizes political or business hypocrisy: authorities or institutions overlooking serious wrongdoing (the "camel") while rigidly enforcing trivial rules (visible on the wall). The ship setting suggests this may reference maritime law, colonial administration, or shipping industry corruption. Without more specific historical context, the exact target remains unclear, though it's clearly mocking selective or inconsistent enforcement of standards.