humpy

n.

1) a native hut. The aboriginalword is Oompi; the initial h is a Cockney addition, and theword has been given an English look, the appearance of the hutssuggesting the English word hump. [The forms himbing and yamba occur along the East coast ofAustralia. Probably it is kindred with koombar, bark,in Kabi dialect, Mary River, Queensland.] The old convictsettlement in Moreton Bay, now broken up, was called Humpy Bong(see Bung), sc. Oompi Bong, a dead or desertedsettlement. The aboriginal names for hut may be thus tabulated Gunyah ). . . New South Wales. Goondie )

Humpy (Oompi) . . . Queensland.

Mia-mia . . . Victoria and Western Australia.

Wurley (Oorla) . . . South Australia.

Whare . . . New Zealand.

1846. C. P. Hodgson, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 228:

«A `gunyia' or `umpee.'»

1873. J. Brunton Stephens, `Black Gin,' p. 16:

«Lo, by the `humpy' door, a smockless Venus.»

2) Applied to a settler's house, very small and primitive.

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 133:

«To dwell in the familiar old bark `humpy,' so full of happymemories. The roof was covered with sheets of bark held downby large wooden riders pegged in the form of a square to oneanother.»

1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 57:

«A lonely hut . . . and a kitchen – – a smaller humpey – – at theback.»

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Squatter's Dream,' p. 247:

«He's to bed in the humpy.»

1893. Gilbert Parker, `Pierre and his People,' p. 135:

«Shon McGann was lying on a pile of buffalo robes in a mountainhut, – – an Australian would call it a humpey.»