The Wasp — 1879 — page 497: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a portrait and biographical article about **Prof. Nordenskjoeld**, a Swedish explorer whom the text credits with solving the problem of finding a northwest passage to Asia—a long-sought goal of maritime adventurers. The left column praises Nordenskjoeld's achievement in navigating from Europe to Japan via the Arctic, avoiding the lengthy Cape of Good Hope and Suez Canal routes. The article emphasizes his success despite previous failed attempts by other famous explorers. The right column contains a humorous fictional dialogue titled "Some Reflections of a 'Bobby'" about a Los Angeles police officer's first uniform experience, apparently unrelated to the explorer profile. This juxtaposes serious exploration achievement with mundane domestic comedy—typical of *The Wasp*'s satirical mixing of heroic and ordinary subjects.