Austral English Part 190

"Aiding some vile pakehas In deeds subversive of the laws."

1876. F. E. Maning [t.i.tle]:

"Old New Zealand, by a Pakeha Maori."

1884. T. Bracken, `Lays of the Maori,' p. 15:

"Long ere the pale pakeha came to the shrine."

Palberry, n. a South Australian name for the Native Currant. See Currant. The word is a corruption of the aboriginal name Palbri, by the law of Hobson-Jobson.

Palm, Alexandra, n. a Queensland timber-tree, Ptychosperma alexandrae, F. v. M., N.O. Palmeae.

Palm, Black, n. a Queensland timber-tree, Ptychosperma normanbyi, F. v. M., N.O. Palmeae.

Palm, Cabbage, n. i.q. Cabbage-tree (q.v.)

Palm Nut, n. See under Nut.

Palm, Walking-Stick, n. a Queensland plant, Bacularia monostachya, F. v. M., N.O. Palmeae.

So called because the stem is much used for making walking-sticks.

Panel, n. the part between two posts in a post-and-rail fence. See also Slip-panel.

1876. A. L. Gordon, `Sea-spray,' p. 148:

"In the jar of the panel rebounding, In the crash of the splintering wood, In the ears to the earth-shock resounding, In the eyes flashing fire and blood."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. xviii.

p. 226:

"A panel of fencing is not quite nine feet in length."

Pan, or Pan-wash, Pan-out, Pan-off, verbs, to wash the dirt in the pan for gold. Some of the forms, certainly pan-out, are used in the United States.

1870. J. O. Tucker, `The Mute,' p. 40:

"Others to these the precious dirt convey, Linger a moment till the panning's through."

1880. G. Sutherland, `Tales of Gold fields,' p. 4:

"On the very day of their arrival they got a lesson in pan-washing."

Ibid. p. 36:

"All the diggers merely panned out the earth."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. vii. p. 79:

"These returned gnomes having been brought to light, at once commenced to pan off according to the recognized rule and practice."

Pannikin, n. a small tin cup for drinking.

The word is not Australian. Webster refers to Marryat and Thackeray. The `Century' quotes Blackmore. This diminutive of pan is exceedingly common in Australia, though not confined to it.

1830. R. Dawson, `Present State of Australia,' p. 200:

"He went to the spring and brought me a pannican full."

(p. 101): "Several tin pannicans."

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition,' p. 87:

"We caught the rain in our pannikins as it dropt from our extended blankets."

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 190:

"There is a well-known story of two bullock-drivers, who, at a country public-house on their way to the town, called for a dozen of champagne, which they first emptied from the bottles into a bucket, and then deliberately drank off from their tin pannikins."

1871. C. L. Money, `Knocking About in New Zealand,' p. 6:

"He was considered sufficiently rewarded in having the `honour' to drink his `pannikin' of tea at the boss's deal table."

1880. G. Sutherland, `Tales of Goldfields,' p. 44:

"A small pannikin full of gold dust."

Pannikin-boss, or Pannikin-overseer, n. The term is applied colloquially to a man on a station, whose position is above that of the ordinary station-hand, but who has no definite position of authority, or is only a `boss' or overseer in a small way.

Papa, n. Maori word for a bluish clay found along the east coast of the North Island.

Paper-bark Tree, or Paper-barked Tea-tree, n. Called also Milk-wood (q.v.). Name given to the species Melaleuca leucodendron, Linn. Its bark is impervious to water.

1842. `Western Australia,' p. 81:

"There is no doubt, from the partial trial which has been made of it, that the wood of the Melaleuca, or tea-tree, could be rendered very serviceable. It is sometimes known by the name of the paper-bark tree from the mult.i.tudinous layers (some hundreds) of which the bark is composed. These layers are very thin, and are loosely attached to each other, peeling off like the bark of the English birch. The whole ma.s.s of the bark is readily stripped from the tree. It is used by the natives as a covering for their huts."

[Compare the New Zealand Thousand-jacket.]

1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries of Australia,' vol. i. c. v.

p. 106:

"The face of the country was well but not too closely covered with specimens of the red and white gum, and paper-bark tree."

1847. E. W. Landor, `The Bushman; or, Life in a New Country,' p. 212:

"Fish and other things are frequently baked in the bark of the papertree."

1857. J. Askew, `Voyage to Australia and New Zealand,'