Austral English Part 116

1896. `Truth' (Sydney), Jan. 12:

"There are several specimens of bush slang transplanted from the Maori language. `Hoot' is a very frequent synonym for money or wage. I have heard a shearer at the Pastoralist Union office in Sydney when he sought to ascertain the scale of remuneration, enquire of the gilt-edged clerk behind the barrier, `What's the hoot, mate?' The Maori equivalent for money is utu, p.r.o.nounced by the Ngapuhi and other northern tribes with the last syllable clipped, and the word is very largely used by the kauri-gum diggers and station hands in the North Island. The original meaning of utu in Maori is `revenge.' When the missionaries first settled in New Zealand, they found that the savage inhabitants had no conception of any recompense except the grim recompense of blood. Under Christianizing influences the natives were induced to forego the blood-revenge for injuries, on receiving a solatium in goods or land, and so utu came to have the double meaning of revenge and recompense, and eventually became recognized as the Maori word for money."

Hop-bush, n. "the name for all species of Dodonaea" (Maiden, p. 417), N.O. Sapindaceae.

1883. F. M. Bailey, `Queensland Flora,' Synopsis, p. 82:

"The capsules of many Dodonaeas are used for hops, and thus the shrubs are known as hop-bushes in Queensland."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 621:

"`Hop-bush,' called `switch-sorrel' in Jamaica, and according to Dr. Bennett, `apiri' in Tahiti. Found in all the colonies."

Hopping-fish, or Climbing-fish, n.

a fish of the north of New South Wales and of Queensland, Periophthalmus australis, Castln., family Gobiidae. Called also Skipper.

1882. Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, `Fish of New South Wales,'

p. 27:

"On the confines of the northern boundaries of New South Wales may be seen a very remarkable Goby called the `Hopping-fish.'

The pectoral fins are developed into regular legs, with which the fish hops or leaps along the mud flats ... The eyes are on the top of the head, and very prominent, and moreover they can be thrust very far out of their sockets, and moved independently of one another, thus the fish can see long distances around, and overtake the small crabs in spite of the long stalks to their optics. It is a tropical form, yet it is said to be found on the mud-flats of the Richmond River."

Hops, Native, or Wild, n. In Australia, the fruit of the Hop-bush (see above), Dodonaea spp. In Tasmania, Daviesia latifolia, R.Br., N.O. Leguminosae, and called also there Bitter-Leaf.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 23:

"`Native hops,' on account of the capsules bearing some resemblance to hops, both in appearance and taste. In the early days of settlement the fruits of these trees were extensively used, yeast and beer of excellent quality being prepared from them. They are still so used to a small extent.

D. attenuata, A. Cunn., for instance, was largely used in the Western District. In times of drought cattle and sheep eat them."

1896. A. B. Paterson, `Man from Snowy River,' p. 7:

"The wild-hop scrub grew thickly, and the hidden ground was full Of wombat-holes, and any slip was death."

Horizontal, n. a Tasmanian shrub, Anodopetalum biglandulosum, Cunn., N.O. Saxifrageae. Horizontal Scrub, peculiar to the island, occurs in the western forests; it derives its name from the direction of the growth of its lower stems, and const.i.tutes a tedious obstacle to the progress of the traveller.

1888. R. M. Johnston, `Geology of Tasmania' [Introd. p. vii:

"The Horizontal is a tall shrub or tree... . Its peculiar habit--to which it owes its name and fame--is for the main stem to a.s.sume a horizontal and drooping position after attaining a considerable height, from which ascend secondary branches which in turn a.s.sume the same horizontal habit. From these spring tertiary branchlets, all of which interlock, and form ...

an almost impenetrable ma.s.s of vegetation."

1891. `The Australasian,' April 4: "That stuff as they calls horizontal, a mess of branches and root."

Hornerah, n. aboriginal name for a throwing-stick; a dialectic variation of Woomera (q.v.). a nonce-use.

1830. R. Dawson, `Present State of Australia,' p. 20:

"I observed, too, that they used a stick, shaped thus __, called the hornerah (which a.s.sists them in throwing the spear)."

Horn-Ray, n. a New Zealand and Australian Ray, the fish Rhin.o.batus banksii, Mull and Heule.

In this genus of Rays the cranial cartilage is produced into a long rostral process (Guenther): hence the name.

Horopito, n. Maori name for the New Zealand shrub, Drimys axillaris, Forst., N.O. Magnoliaceae; called also Pepper-tree (q.v.).

1847. G. F. Angas, `Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand,' vol. ii. p. 17:

A delicious fragrance, like that of hyacinth and jessamine mingled, filled the warm still air with its perfume. It arose from the petals of a straggling shrub, with bright green shining leaves resembling those of the nutmeg-tree; and a profusion of rich and delicate blossoms, looking like waxwork, and hanging in cl.u.s.ters of trumpet-shaped bells: I observed every shade of colour amongst them, from pinkish white to the deepest crimson, and the edges of the petals were irregularly jagged all round. The natives call this plant horopito."

Ibid. p. 75:

"The fuchsia and the horopito were also abundant."

1883. J. Hector, `Handbook of New Zealand, p. 129:

"Horopito, pepper-tree, winter's bark. A small slender evergreen tree, very handsome. Whole plant aromatic and stimulant; used by the Maoris for various diseases. Wood very ornamental in cabinet-work."

1889. T. Kirk, `Forest Flora of New Zealand,' p. 1:

"The Horopito, or pepper-tree of the settlers, is an ornamental shrub or small tree occurring in woods, on the margin of which it is sometimes found in great abundance."

Horse-Mackerel, n. The name is applied in Sydney to the fish Auxis ramsayi, Castln., family s...o...b..idae. In New Zealand it is Caranx (or Trachurus) trachurus, Cuv. and Val., which is the same fish as the Horse-Mackerel of England. This is called Yellow-tail on the Australian coasts. See Trevally.

Horseradish-tree, n. name given to Codonocarpus cotinifolius, F. v. M., N.O. Phytolaceae.

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 164:

"`Quinine-tree,' `medicine-tree' of the interior. Called also `horse-radish tree' owing to the taste of the leaves. The bark contains a peculiar bitter, and no doubt possesses medicinal properties. The taste is, however, quite distinct from quinine."

Horseshoe-Fern, n. name given in New Zealand to the fern Marattia fraxinia, Sm., called in Australia the Potato-Fern. See under Fern.

Hot Wind, n. an Australian meteorological phenomenon. See quotations, especially 1879, A. R. Wallace.

The phrase is of course used elsewhere, but its Australian use is peculiar. The hot wind blows from the North.

Mr. H. C. Russell, the Government Astronomer of New South Wales, writes--"The hot wind of Australia is a circulation of wind about the anticyclone in the rear of which, as it moves to the east, there is a strong force of wind from north to north- west, which blowing over the heated plains of the interior gathers up its excessive temperature and carries it to the southern colonies. They seldom last more than two or three days in Sydney, and the great heat by which they are remembered never lasts more than a few hours of one day, and is always a sign of the end, which is an inrush of southerly wind, the circulation forming the front of the new incoming anticyclone."

1833. C. Sturt, `Southern Australia,' Vol. II. c. iii.

p. 66:

"This was the only occasion upon which we felt the hot winds in the interior."

1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' Vol. II.

c. vi. p. 243:

"These squalls generally succeed the hot winds that prevail at this season in South Australia, coming from the interior."

Footnote--"During the hot winds we observed the thermometer, in the direct rays of the sun, to be 135 degrees."

1846. Ibid. c. xii. p. 403:

"A hot wind set in; ... at one time the thermometer at the public offices [Adelaide] was 158 degrees."