Austral English Part 93

"I remember nothing but a rather curiously shaped gowai-tree."

Goanna, Guana, and Guano, n. popular corruptions for Iguana, the large Lace-lizard (q.v.), Varanus varius, Shaw. In New Zealand, the word Guano is applied to the lizard-like reptile Sphenodon punctatum. See Tuatara. In Tasmania, the name is given to Taliqua schincoides, White, and throughout Australia any lizard of a large size is popularly called a Guana, or in the bush, more commonly, a Goanna.

See also Lace-lizard.

1802. G. Barrington, `History of New South Wales,' c. viii.

p. 285:

"Among other reptiles were found ... some brown guanoes."

1830. R. Dawson, `Present state of Australia,' p. 118:

"At length an animal called a guana (a very large species of lizard) jumped out of the grass, and with amazing rapidity ran, as they always do when disturbed, up a high tree."

1864. J. Ropers, `New Rush,' p. 6:

"The shy guana climbs a tree in fear."

1891. Rolf Boldrewood, `A Sydney-side Saxon,' p. 99:

"A goanna startled him, and he set to and kicked the front of the buggy in."

1896. H. Lawson, `When the World was Wide,' p. 139:

"And the sinister `gohanna,' and the lizard, and the snake."

Go-ashore, n. an iron pot or cauldron, with three iron feet, and two ears, from which it was suspended by a wire handle over the fire. It is a corruption of the Maori word Kohua (q.v.), by the law of Hobson-Jobson.

1849. W. Tyrone Power, `Sketches in New Zealand with Pen and Pencil,' p. 160:

"Engaged in the superintendence of a Maori oven, or a huge gipsy-looking cauldron, called a `go-ashore.'"

1877. An Old Colonist, `Colonial Experiences,' p. 124:

"A large go-ashore, or three-legged pot, of the size and shape of the cauldron usually introduced in the witch scene in Macbeth."

1879. C. L. Innes, `Canterbury Sketches,' p. 23:

"There was another pot, called by the euphonious name of a `Go-ashore,' which used to hang by a chain over the fire.

This was used for boiling."

Goborro, n. aboriginal name for Eucalyptus microtheca, F. v. M. See Dwarf-box, under Box.

Goburra, and Gogobera, n. variants of Kookaburra (q.v.).

Goditcha. See Kurdaitcha.

Godwit, n. the English name for birds of the genus Limosa. The Australian species are--

Black-tailed G.,-- Limosa melanuroides, Gould;

Barred-rumped G.,-- L. uropygialis, Gould.

Gogobera, and Goburra, n. variants of Kookaburra (q.v.).

Gold-. The following words and phrases compounded with "gold" are Australian in use, though probably some are used elsewhere.

Gold-bearing, verbal adj. auriferous.

1890. `Goldfields of Victoria,' p. 13:

"A new line of gold-bearing quartz."

Gold-digging, verbal n. mining or digging for gold.

1880. G. Sutherland, `Tales of Gold. fields,' p. 36:

"There were over forty miners thus playing at gold-digging in Hiscock's Gully."

Gold-digger, n.

1852. J. Bonwick [Title]:

"Notes of a Gold-digger."

Gold-fever, n. the desire to obtain gold by digging. The word is more especially applied to the period between 1851 and 1857, the early Australian discovery of gold.

The term had been previously applied in a similar way to the Californian excitement in 1848-49. Called also Yellow fever.

1888. A. J. Barbour, `Clara,' c. ix. p. 13:

"The gold fever coursed through every vein."

Gold-field, n. district where mining for gold is carried on.

1858. T. McCombie, `History of Victoria, c. xv. p. 215:

"All were anxious to get away for the gold fields."

1880. G. Sutherland, [Title] `Tales of Goldfields,' p. 19:

"Edward Hargreaves, the discoverer of the Australian goldfields ... received L15,000 as his reward."

Gold-founded, part. adj. founded as the result of the discovery of gold.

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. ix. p. 91:

"I rode up the narrow street, serpentine in construction, as in all gold-founded townships."

Gold-hunter, n. searcher after gold.