The Wasp — 1879 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts two figures in pointed hats (suggesting KKK or similar extremist imagery) fishing in water, with the caption referencing California mining. The caricatured figures appear to be exploiting or "fishing for" California's mineral wealth—likely commentary on opportunistic prospectors or outside interests preying on the state's resources. The detailed natural setting with vegetation and water emphasizes the landscape being exploited. *The Wasp* was a San Francisco-based publication known for sharp social and political satire, often targeting corruption and exploitative practices. Without the magazine's date visible, the specific mining scandal referenced remains unclear, but the image suggests criticism of unscrupulous profiteering from California's natural resources during what was likely the late 19th century mining era.