Austral English Part 282

"But at present warrigal means a wild dog."

1891. J. B. O`Hara, `Songs of the South,' p. 22:

"There, night by night, I heard the call The inharmonious warrigal Made, when the darkness swiftly drew Its curtains o'er the starry blue."

(2) A Horse.

1881. `The Australasian,' May 21, p. 647, col. 4 ["How we ran in `The Black Warragal'": Ernest G. Millard, Bimbowrie, South Australia]:

"You must let me have Topsail today, Boss,.

If we're going for that Warrigal mob."

1888. Gilbert Parker, `Round the Compa.s.s in Australia,' p. 44:

"Six wild horses--warrigals or brombies, as they are called--have been driven down, corralled, and caught.

They have fed on the leaves of the myall and stray bits of salt-bush. After a time they are got within the traces.

They are all young, and they look not so bad."

1890. `The Argus, `June 14, p.4, col. 2:

"Mike will fret himself to death in a stable, and maybe kill the groom. Mike's a warrigal he is."

(3) Applied to Aborigines. [See Bunce quotation, 1859.]

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Squatter's Dream,' c. xii. p. 249:

"He's a good shot, and these warrigal devils know it."

1896. Private Letter from Station near Palmerville, North Queensland:

"Warrigal. In this Cook district, and I believe in many others, a blackfellow who has broken any of the most stringent tribal laws, which renders him liable to be killed on sight by certain other blacks, is warri, an outlaw."

(4) As adjective meaning wild.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. viii. p. 68:

"Here's a real good wholesome cabbage--warrigal cabbage the shepherds call it."

Warrina, n. See Warrener.

Washdirt, n. any alluvial deposit from which gold is obtained by was.h.i.+ng; or "the auriferous gravel, sand, clay, or cement, in which the greatest proportion of gold is found." (Brough Smyth's `Glossary,' 1869.) Often called dirt (q.v.).

1896. `Melbourne Argus,' April 30, p. 7, col. 6:

"In colour the washdirt is of a browner and more iron-stained appearance than the white free wash met across the creek."

Waterbush, n. an Australian tree, i.q. Native Daphne. See Daphne.

Watergra.s.s, n. a Tasmanian name for Manna gra.s.s, Poa fluitans, Scop., N.O. Gramineae.

Water-Gum, n. See Gum.

Water-hole, n. The word pond is seldom used in Australia. Any pond, natural or artificial, is called a Water-hole. The word also denotes a depression or cavity in the bed of an intermittent river, which remains full during the summer when the river itself is dry.

1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' vol. i. c. ii. p. 80:

"There was no smoke to betray a water-hole."

1853. S. Sidney, `Three Colonies of Australia,' p. 245:

"The deep pools, called colonially `water-holes.'"

1862. F. J. Jobson, `Australia,' c. vii. p. 181:

"`Water-holes' appeared at intervals, but they seemed to have little water in them."

1864. J. McDouall Stuart, `Explorations in Australia,' p. 58:

"About four miles from last night's camp the chain of large water-holes commences, and continues beyond tonight's camp."

1875. Wood and Lapham, `Waiting for the Mail,' p. 15:

"The water-hole was frozen over, so she was obliged to go on farther, where the water ran."

1875. `Spectator' (Melbourne), June 26, p. 94, col. 1:

"A bottomless water-hole, about 300 feet wide, exists at Maryvale homestead, Gipps Land."

1878. Mrs. H. Jones, `Broad Outlines of Long Years in Australia,' p. 97:

"`That will be another water-hole.' `What an ugly word ...

why don't you call them pools or ponds?' `I can't tell you why they bear such a name, but we never call them anything else, and if you begin to talk of pools or ponds you'll get well laughed at.'"

1896. `The Argus,' March 30, p. 6, col. 9:

[The murderer] has not since been heard of. Dams and waterholes have been dragged ... but without result."

Water-Lily. See Lily.

Water-Mole, i.q. Platypus (q.v.).

Water-Myrtle, an Australian tree, Tristania neriifolia, R. Br., N.O. Myrtaceae.

Water-Tree, n. a tree from which water is obtained by tapping the roots, Hakea leucoptera, R. Br., N.O. Proteaceae; called also Needle-bush. The quotation describes the process, but does not name the tree.

1839. T. L. Mitch.e.l.l, `Three Expeditions,' p. 199: