Austral English Part 253

1875. Lady Barker, `Station Amus.e.m.e.nts in New Zealand,' p. 154:

"Describing the real swagger, clad in flannel shirt, moleskin trowsers, and what were once thick boots."

1890. `The Century,' vol. xli. p. 624 (`Century'):

"Under the name of swagger or sundowner the tramp, as he moves from station to station in remote districts, in supposed search for work, is a recognized element of society."

1893. `Otago Witness,' Dec. 21, p. 6, col. 3:

"Once a footsore swagger came along, and having gone to the house to ask for `tucker,' soon returned. He took his swag from his shoulders and leant it against the Tree; then he busied himself gathering the small sticks and dried leaves lying about on every side."

1896. `The Argus,' March 23, p.5, col. 1:

"The minister's house is the sure mark for every stone-broke swagger in search of clothes or victuals."

1896. `Southern Standard' (New Zealand), [page not given]:

"An ardent young lady cyclist of Gore, who goes very long journeys on her machine, was asked by a lady friend if she was not afraid of swaggers on the road. `Afraid of them?' she said, `why, I take tea with them!'"

1896. `The Champion,' Jan. 4, p. 3, col. 3:

"He [Professor Morris] says that `swagger' is a variant of `swagman.' This is equally amusing and wrong."

[Nevertheless, he now says it once again.]

Swaggie, n. a humorous variation on swagman.

1892. E. W. Horning, `Under Two Skies,' p. 109:

"Here's a swaggie stopped to camp, with flour for a damper, and a handful of tea for the quart-pot, as safe as the bank."

Swagman, n. a man travelling through the bush carrying a Swag (q.v.), and seeking employment. There are variants, Swagger (more general in New Zealand), Swaggie, and Swagsman. The Sundowner, Traveller, or New Zealand Tussocker, is not generally a seeker for work.

1890. `The Argus,' June 7, p. 4, col. 2:

"The regular swagman carrying his ration bags, which will sometimes contain nearly twenty days' provender in flour and sugar and tea."

1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `A Sydney-side Saxon,' p. 156:

"We pulled up a swagman. He was walking very slow; he was a bit lame too. His swag wasn't heavy, for he had only a rag of a blue blanket, a billy of water in his hand, and very little else."

1893. `The Herald' (Melbourne), Jan. 25:

"Under the electric light in the quadrangle of the Exhibition they will give tableaux, representing the murder of a swagman by a native and the shooting of the criminal by a black tracker."

1897. `The Argus,' Jan. 11, p. 7, col. 2:

"The Yarra has claimed many swagman in the end, but not all have died in full travelling costume ... a typical back-blocks traveller. He was grey and grizzled, but well fed, and he wore a Cardigan jacket, brown moleskin trousers, blucher boots, and socks, all of which were mended with rough patches.

His knife and tobacco, his odds and ends, and his purse, containing 14 1/2d., were still intact, while across his shoulder was a swag, and the fingers of his right hand had tightly closed round the handle of his old black billy-can, in which were some sc.r.a.ps of meat wrapped in a newspaper of the 5th inst. He had taken with him his old companions of the roads--his billy and his swag."

Swagsman, n. a variant of Swagman (q.v.).

1879 J. Brunton Stephens, `Drought and Doctrine' (Works, p. 309):

"Rememberin' the needful, I gets up an' quietly slips To the porch to see--a swagsman--with our bottle at his lips."

1880. G. Sutherland, `Tales of Goldfields,' p. 89:

"One of these prospecting swagsmen was journeying towards Maryborough."

1882. A. J. Boyd, `Old Colonials,' p. 111:

"Idleness being the mainspring of the journeys of the Swagsman (Anglice, `tramp')."

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. xix. p. 235:

"The able-bodied swagsmen hasten towards Rainbar."

Swallow, n. common English bird-name.

The species observed in Australia are--

The Swallow-- Hirundo neoxena, Gould.

Black-and-white S.-- Cheramaeca leucosternum, Gould.

Black-faced Wood S.-- Artamus melanops, Gould.

Eastern S.-- Hirundo javanica, Sparrm.

Grey-breasted Wood S.-- Artamus cinereus, Vieill.

Little Wood S.-- A. minor, Vieill.

Masked Wood S.-- Artamus personatus, Gould.

White-bellied Wood S.-- A. hypoleucus.

White-browed Wood S.-- A. superciliosus, Gould.

White-rumped Wood S.-- A. leucogaster, Valenc.

Wood S.-- A. sordidus, Lath.

Artamus is often wrongly spelt Artemus.

The Wood-Swallows are often called Summer-birds (q.v.).

Swamp-Broom, n. a rush-broom, Viminaria denudata, Sm., N.O. Leguminosae.

See Swamp-Oak.