Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-08-07

station, carrying his kit or "swag'' ON
his back, is called ''swagman" or
'swager. " While on the tramp
through the bush with this object in
view. he is said to be on the wallaby"
"a wallaby being small form of
kangaroo common in the BUSH, or to
be carrying bluey." and generally
speaking, to hump ones swag' is to
make start. to set out, or continue
ON tramp or journey, and so forth.
The man who appears at stationa at
sunset. ostensibly in search of work,
but really desirous only of nights
lodging and some provisions, goes by
the name of 'sundowner. Such
man, like all those who are not fit to
be accommodated in the squatter's
house as guests, is sent to sleep in an
clubhouse built for the purpose. aud
commonly called the barracks. /"
Hence "barraeker" has come to mean
a rough. or rowdy of any sort. This
word is more common in New Zea-
land than in Australia. though the
slang of both countries is practically
the same.
The swagman and the sundowner in
variably carry 'pannikin" and
billy. The former is an open pot.
and the later is usually tin pot with
a lid, holding quart. Perhaps 1t
would be more correct to say that it is
usually without lid. for the lid is
soon lost. In this the swagman makes
his everlasting drink-tea. Beer and
spirits are not very easy to bo got in
many parts of the bush. But tea can
be easily carried, and every one drinks
it in Australia to excess Billy tea is
rather good. You boil water in the
billy over your little fire in the bush.
then throw in handful of tea and
about half handful of sugar; leave to
boil for few seconds. take it off. and
drink as soon as it is cool 1t is need
less to say there is no milk with it.
The swagman s chief food is" damper," F"
that is, bread made by himself without
yeast, and baked on hot stone in the
bush. To make damper we'll is high
art. and there is not space here to ex-
plain how to do it. When there is not
time to make damper he makes beg
gars on the Goals, :" or something which
he calls by name very similar.
Johnny cake" is thin damper fried in
a pan.
We have not succeeded in getting
through tenth part of our list of
Australianisns, and therefore in what
Col ,,ak l<.~ 80. -
pannikin. "a shinge Short ''To
have white ants" (the last Queensland
phrase), are expressions for wrong in
the head" "Cabbagehead" is New
South Wales for Victorian. Corn
stalk" is Victorian for a New South
Wales man. "Cooee" is the peculiar
shout used as signal in the bush.
within cooee' is within earshot.
"Larrikin" is town rowdy; "larriki-
ness" is the female of the same;
'push" gang of larrikins. "Over
the river, " "Tin dish," and $50 long"
all signify good-by. To "shout'' is to
stand drink. To ''round up" cattle
is to ride round them and collect them
into aclose group or "mob." Gener-
ally, "mob" means lot of cattle,
and "crowd" number of men col
lected together, but not necessarily a
large number. A man standing drink
to all the men in bar-perhaps five
or six only-would be said to "shout
for the whole crowd" remittance
man" is a shady Englishman. usually
of good family, sent to Australia. and
paid an allowance by his family so
long as he remains there and does not
disgrace them by returning. Such
words as "womerah." a throwing
stick" "gin," black woman;" lubra, "
young black woman; "gunyah, a
hut; "quambi." camp; "ghindy," "
to loaf; boodjorybong, be off; and
many others are taken from the black
fellows language. AS to the miners
slang, that in itself would require a
special article.
or