The Wasp — December 25, 1879 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Landscape on the Moon" This full-page illustration depicts a stark, barren lunar landscape with jagged rock formations and shadows. The caption identifies it as "A LANDSCAPE ON THE MOON." The accompanying text is a personal narrative about the author's cave exploration and geological observations. It mentions comparisons to mammoth caverns, descriptions of stalactites and stalagmites, and concludes with reflections on abandoning "the freaky sphere" to return to Earth. This appears to be **satirical science fiction or fantastical travel writing** rather than political commentary. The humor likely derives from the absurdity of presenting a fictional moon landscape as documentary illustration—a common 19th-century literary device mocking credulous readers or pretentious scientific claims. The page also contains sections on "Buzzings" (gossip/short items) and advertisements, which were standard *Wasp* magazine features.