Austral English Part 67

"Digger's Delight, Veronica perfoliata, N.O. Scrophularineae. A pretty, blue-flowering shrub, with smooth stem-clasping leaves; found in the mountainous districts of Victoria and New South Wales, and deriving its common name from a supposition that its presence indicated auriferous country. It is plentiful in the elevated cold regions of Australia."

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 147:

"Such native flowers as the wild violet, the shepherd's purse, or the blue-flowered `digger's delight.' This latter has come, perhaps, with the seeds from some miner's holding amongst the iron-barks in the gold country, and was once supposed to grow only on auriferous soils. When no one would think of digging for gold in this field, the presence of the flower is, perhaps, as reliable an indication of a golconda underneath as the reports and information on the strength of which many mining companies are floated."

Diggerdom, n. collective noun, the diggers.

1855. W. Howitt, `Two Years in Victoria,' vol. i. p. 43:

"Diggerdom is gloriously in the ascendant here."

Diggeress, n. a digger's wife.

1855. W. Howitt, `Two Years in Victoria,' vol. i. p. 43:

"The digger marching off, followed by his diggeress, a tall, slim young woman, who strode on like a trooper... . Open carriages driving about, crowded with diggers and their diggeresses."

1864. J. Rogers, `New Rush,' pt. ii. p. 36:

"I'm tir'd of being a diggeress, And yearn a farmer's home to grace."

Diggings, n. a place where gold-mining is carried on. The word is generally regarded as singular.

Though common in Australia, it is very old, even in the sense of a place where digging for gold is carried on.

1769. De Foe's `Tour of Great Britain,' i. 39 (`O.E.D.'):

"King Henry VIII. was induced to dig for Gold. He was disappointed, but the Diggings are visible at this Day."

1852. J. Morgan, `Life and Adventures of William Buckley'

(published at Hobart), p. 183 [quoting from the `Victoria Commercial Review,' published at Melbourne, by Messrs. Westgarth, Ross, & Co., under date September 1, 1851]:

"The existence of a `goldfield' was not ascertained until May last... . Numbers of persons are daily `prospecting'

throughout this Colony and New South Wales in search of gold... .In Victoria, as well as in New South Wales, regular `diggings' are now established."

1852. Murray, `The Australian Gold Diggings: where they are and how to get at them,' p. 1;

"It cannot but be acceptable to the crowds of intending colonists and gold seekers, to present them with a picture of the `Progress of the Diggins,' [sic] drawn by the diggers."

1858. T. McCombie, `History of Victoria,' c. xv. p. 234:

"Immigrants who had not means to start to the diggings."

1870. J. O. Tucker, `The Mute,' p. 48:

"Ye glorious diggings `neath a southern clime!

I saw thy dawn."

[`Ye,' `thy.' Is this singular or plural?]

1887. H. H. Hayter, `Christmas Adventure,' p. i:

"Fryer's creek, a diggings more than 90 miles from Melbourne."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. vii. p. 71:

"It was a goldfield and a diggings in far-away Australia."

Dilli, later Dilly-bag, n. an aboriginal word, coming from Queensland, for a bag made either of gra.s.ses or of fur twisted into cord. Dhilla is the term for hair in Kabi dialect, Mary River, Queensland.

Dirrang and jirra are corresponding words in the east of New South Wales. The aboriginal word dilli has been tautologically increased to dilly-bag, and the word is used by bushmen for a little bag for odds-and-ends, even though made of calico or holland.

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 90:

"In their `dillis' (small baskets) were several roots or tubers."

Ibid. p. 195:

"A basket (dilli) which I examined was made of a species of gra.s.s."

1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 34:

"I learned too at the camp to plait dilly-bags."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. xvii. p. 210:

"Mayboy came forward dangling a small dilly-bag."

1896. A.J. North, `Report of Australian Museum,' p. 26:

"Dilly-bag (partly wool and partly gra.s.s)."

Dingle-bird, n. a poetical name for the Australian Bell-bird (q.v.).

1870. F. S. Wilson, `Australian Songs,' p. 30:

"The bell-like chimings of the distant dingle-bird."

1883. C. Harpur, `Poems,' p. 78:

"I ... list the tinkling of the dinglebird."

Dingo, n. the native dog of Australia, Canis dingo. "The aborigines, before they obtained dogs from Europeans, kept the dingo for hunting, as is still done by coast tribes in Queensland. Name probably not used further south than Shoalhaven, where the wild dog is called Mirigang."

(A. W. Howitt.)

1790. J. White, `Voyage to New South Wales,' p. 280:

[A dingo or dog of New South Wales. Plate. Description by J.

Hunter.] "It is capable of barking, although not so readily as the European dogs; is very ill-natured and vicious, and snarls, howls, and moans, like dogs in common. Whether this is the only dog in New South Wales, and whether they have it in a wild state, is not mentioned; but I should be inclined to believe they had no other; in which case it will const.i.tute the wolf of that country; and that which is domesticated is only the wild dog tamed, without having yet produced a variety, as in some parts of America."

1798. D. Collins, `Account of English Colony in New South Wales,' p. 614 [Vocab.]: