"The Marine Excursion of the Knights of Pythias" is the third story from Stephen Leacock's masterpiece story sequence "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town". It deals with an exploration of the social, political, and religious aspects of life in Mariposa, while some of its citizens are on a cruise holiday excursion. Spirits are high when catastrophe strikes. An extremely interesting parody of sea voyages, "The Marine Excursion" is a charming and ironic story, and a very representative portrayal of Leacock's own view of his contemporary Canadians.