brumby

broombie

(spelling various), n. a wildhorse. The origin of this word is very doubtful. Some claimfor it an aboriginal, and some an English source. In itspresent shape it figures in one aboriginal vocabulary, given inCurr's `Australian Race' (1887), vol. iii. p. 259. At p. 284, booramby is given as meaning «wild» on the river Warregoin Queensland. The use of the word seems to have spread fromthe Warrego and the Balowne about 1864. Before that date, andin other parts of the bush ere the word came to them, wildhorses were called clear-skins or scrubbers,whilst Yarraman (q.v.) is the aboriginal word for aquiet or broken horse. A different origin was, however, givenby an old resident of New South Wales, to a lady of the name ofBrumby, viz. «that in the early days of that colony, aLieutenant Brumby, who was on the staff of one of theGovernors, imported some very good horses, and that some oftheir descendants being allowed to run wild became theancestors the wild horses of New South Wales and Queensland.» Confirmation of this story is to be desired.

1880. `The Australasian,' Dec. 4, p. 712, col. 3:

«Passing through a belt of mulga, we saw, on reaching its edge,a mob of horses grazing on the plains beyond. These our guidepronounced to be `brumbies,' the bush name here [Queensland]for wild horses.»

1888. Cassell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. ii. p. 176:

«The wild horses of this continent known all over it by the Australian name of `brumbies.'»

Ibid. p. 178:

«The untamed and `unyardable' scrub brumby.»

1888. R. Kipling, `Plain Tales from the Hills,' p. 160:

«Juggling about the country, with an Australian larrikin; a`brumby' with as much breed as the boy. . . . People who lostmoney on him called him a `brumby.'»

1888. Rolf Boldrewood, `Robbery under Arms.' p. 67:

«The three-cornered weed he rode that had been a `brumbee.'»

1895. `Chambers' Journal,' Nov. 2, Heading `Australian BrumbieHorses':

«The brumbie horse of Australia, tho' not a distinct equinevariety, possesses attributes and qualities peculiar to itself,and, like the wild cattle and wild buffaloes of Australia, isthe descendant of runaways of imported stock.»

1896. `Sydney Morning Herald,' (Letter from `J. F. G.,' datedAug. 24):

«Amongst the blacks on the Lower Balonne, Nebine, Warrego, andBulloo rivers the word used for horse is `baroombie,' the `a'being cut so short that the word sounds as `broombie,' and asfar as my experience goes refers more to unbroken horses indistinction to quiet or broken ones (`yarraman').»

1896. H. Lawson, `When the World was Wide,' p. 156:

«Yet at times we long to gallop where the reckless bushman rides

In the wake of startled brumbies that are flying for their hides.»