Austral English Part 226

"0 heavens, this is my true-begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not."

On this, the American commentator, Mr. Rolfe, notes--

"Sand-blind. Dim of sight; as if there were sand in the eye, or perhaps floating before it. It means something more than purblind."

"As if there were sand in the eye,"--an admirable description of the Australian Sandy-blight.

1869. J. F. Blanche, `The Prince's Visit,' p. 20:

"The Prince was suff'ring from the sandy blight."

1870. E. B. Kennedy, `Four Years in Queensland,' p. 46:

"Sandy-blight occurs generally in sandy districts in the North Kennedy; it may be avoided by ordinary care, and washing the eyes after a hot ride through sandy country. It is a species of mild ophthalmia."

1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `A Sydney-side Saxon,' p. 78:

"He had pretty near lost his eyesight with the sandy blight, which made him put his head forward when he spoke, as if he took you for some one else, or was looking for what he couldn't find."

Sarcophile, and Sarcophilus, n. the scientific name of the genus of carnivorous marsupial animals of which the Tasmanian Devil (q.v.) is the only known living species.(Grk. sarkos, flesh, and philein, to love.)

Sardine, n. name given in Australia to a fresh-water fish, Chatoessus erebi, Richards., of the herring tribe, occurring in West and North-West Australia, and in Queensland rivers, and which is called in the Brisbane river the Sardine. It is the Bony Bream of the New South Wales rivers, and the Perth Herring of Western Australia.

Sarsaparilla, Australian or Native, n. (1) An ornamental climbing shrub, Hardenbergia monophylla, Benth., N.O. Leguminosae. Formerly called Kennedya (q.v.).

(2) Smilax glycyphylla, Smith, N.0. Liliaceae.

1883. F. M. Bailey, `Synopsis of Queensland Flora,' p. 114:

"Native Sarsaparilla. The roots of this beautiful purple- flowered twiner (Hardenbergia monophylla) are used by bushmen as a substitute for the true sarsaparilla, which is obtained from a widely different plant."

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 189:

"Commonly, but wrongly, called `Native Sarsaparilla.' The roots are sometimes used by bushmen as a substitute for the true sarsaparilla (Smilax), but its virtues are purely imaginary. It is a common thing in the streets of Sydney, to see persons with large bundles of the leaves on their shoulders, doubtless under the impression that they have the leaves of the true Sarsaparilla, Smilax glycyphylla."

1896. `The Argus,' Sept. 8, p. 7, col. 1:

"He will see, too, the purple of the sarsaparilla on the hill-sides, and the golden bloom of the wattle on the flats, forming a beautiful contrast in tint. Old diggers consider the presence of sarsaparilla and the ironbark tree as indicative of the existence of golden wealth below. Whether these can be accepted as indicators in the vegetable kingdom of gold below is questionable, but it is nevertheless a fact that the sarsaparilla and the ironbark tree are common on most of Victoria's goldfields."

Sassafras, n. corruption of Saxafas, which is from Saxifrage. By origin, the word means "stone-breaking," from its medicinal qualities. The true Sassafras (S. officinale) is the only species of the genus. It is a North-American tree, about forty feet high, but the name has been given to various trees in many parts of the world, from the similarity, either of their appearance or of the real or supposed medicinal properties of their bark.

In Australia, the name is given to--

Atherosperma moschatum, Labill., N.0. Monimiaceae; called Native Sassafras, from the odour of its bark, due to an essential oil closely resembling true Sassafras in odour. (Maiden.)

Beilschmiedia obtusifolia, Benth., N.0. Lauraceae; called Queensland Sassafras, a large and handsome tree.

Cryptocarya glaucescens, R. Br., N.0. Lauraceae; the Sassafras of the early days of New South Wales, and now called Black Sassafras.

Daphnandra micrantha, Benth., N.0. Monimiaceae, called also Satinwood, and Light Yellow-wood.

Doryphora sassafras, Endl., N.0. Monimiaceae.

Grey Sassafras is the Moreton-Bay Laurel.

See Laurel.

The New Zealand Sassafras is Laurelia novae-zelandiae.

1834. Ross, `Van Diemen's Land Annual,' p. 134:

"The leaves of these have been used as substitutes for tea in the colony, as have also the leaves and bark of Cryptocarya glaucescens, the Australian sassafras."

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. ii. p. 166:

"The beautiful Tasmanian sassafras-tree is also a dweller in some parts of our fern-tree valleys... . The flowers are white and fragrant, the leaves large and bright green, and the bark has a most aromatic scent, besides being, in a decoction, an excellent tonic medicine... . The sawyers and other bushmen familiar with the tree call it indiscriminately `saucifax,' `sarserfrax,' and `satisfaction.'"

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 206:

"A Tasmanian timber. Height, 40 ft.; dia., 14 in. Found on low, marshy ground. Used for sashes and doorframes."

1894. `Melbourne Museum Catalogue--Economic Woods,' No. 36:

"Atherosperma moschatum, Victorian sassafras-tree, N.O. Monimiaceae."

Satin-bird, n. another name for the Satin Bower-bird. See Bower-bird.

1827. Vigors and Horsfield, `Transactions of Linnaean Society,'

vol. xv. p. 264:

The natives call it Cowry, the colonists Satin-Bird."

Satin-Robin, n. a Tasmanian name for the Satin Fly-catcher, Myiagra nitida, Gould.

Satin-Sparrow, n. Same as Satin-Robin (q.v.).

Satinwood, n. a name applied to two Australian trees from the nature of their timber--Xanthoxylum brachyacanthum, F. v. M., N.O. Rutaceae, called also Thorny Yellow-wood; Daphnandra micrantha, Benth., N.O. Monimiaceae, called also Light Yellow-wood and Sassafras (q.v.).

Saw-fish, n. a species of Ray, Pristis zysron, Bleek, the Australasian representative of the Pristidae family, or Saw-fishes, Rays of a shark-like form, with long, flat snouts, armed along each edge with strong teeth.

1851. `Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land,' vol. i. p. 223 [J. E. Bicheno, June 8, 1850, in epist.]:

"Last week an old fisherman brought me a fine specimen of a Saw-fish, caught in the Derwent. It turned out to be the Pristis cirrhatus,--a rare and curious species, confined to the Australian seas, and first described by Dr. Latham in the year 1793."

Sawyer, n. (1) Name applied by bushmen in New Zealand to the insect Weta (q.v.). (2) A trunk embedded in the mud so as to move with the current--hence the name: a snag is fixed. (An American use of the word.) See also Snag.

1873. J. B. Stephens, `Black Gin,' p. 22:

"By Fitzroy's rugged crags, Its `sawyers' and its snags, He roamed."