swag

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

I.


n.

1) Used in the early days, and stillby the criminal class, in the ordinary sense of Thieves'English, as booty, plunder.

1837. J. Mudie, `Felonry of New South Wales,' p. 181:

«In short, having brought with her a supply of the `swag,' asthe convicts call their ill-gotten cash, a wife seldom fails ofhaving her husband assigned to her, in which case thetransported felon finds himself his own master.»

1879. R. H. Barham, `Ingoldsby Legends' (Misadventuresat Margate):

«A landsman said, `I twig the drop, – – he's been upon the mill,

And `cause he gammons so the flats, ve calls him Veepin' Bill.'

He said `he'd done me very brown, and neatly stowed the swag,'

– That's French, I fancy, for a hat, – – or else a carpet-bag.»

2) A special Australian use: a tramp's bundle, wrapt up in ablanket, called a Bluey (q.v.). Used also for apassenger's luggage.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. ii.p. 59:

«A number of the slang phrases current in St. Giles's Greek bid fair to become legitimatized in thedictionary of this colony: plant, swag, pulling up, and other epithets of theTom and Jerry school, are established – – the drosspassing here as genuine, even among all ranks.»

1853. S. Sidney, `Three Colonies of Australia,' p. 361:

«His leathern overalls, his fancy stick, and his `swag' done upin mackintosh.»

1855. W. Howitt, `Two Years in Victoria,' vol. i. p. 384:

«There were others with huge swags suspended from a pole, withwhich they went on, like the Children of Israel carrying thegigantic bunches of the grapes of Canaan.»

1865. J. O. Tucker, `Australian Story,' c. i. p. 86:

«The cumbrous weight of blankets that comprised my swag.»

1867. Lady Barker, `Station Life in New Zealand,' p. 127:

«A pair of large double blankets to make the tent of, – – that wasone swag, and a very unwieldy one it was, strapped knapsackfashion, with straps of flax leaves.»

1868. J. Bonwick, `John Batman, Founder of Victoria,' p. 51:

«Three white men, the Sydney natives, and Batman, who carriedhis swag the same as the rest, all armed.»

1871. C. L. Money, `Knocking About in New Zealand,' p. 9:

«With my rug and blankets on my back (such a bundle beingcalled a `swag').»

1873. A. Trollope, `Australia and New Zealand,' vol. i.p. 285:

«Swag, which consists of his personal properties rolled up ina blanket.»

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. i. p. 33:

«His cumbrous attire and the huge swag which lay across theseat.»

1888. A. Reischek, in Buller's `Birds of New Zealand,' vol.ii. p. 93:

«With the hope that there would now be a few fine days, I atonce packed up my swag with provisions, ammunition, blanket,&c.»

1892. `The Australasian,' May 7, p. 903, col. 1:

«Kenneth, in front, reminded me comically of Alice's WhiteKnight, what with the billies dancing and jingling on his back,and the tomahawk in his belt, and his large swag in front.»

1896. H. Lawson, `When the World was Wide,' p. 95:

«I suppose he's tramping somewhere,

Where the bushmen carry swags,

Cadging round the wretched stations

With his empty tucker-bags.»

II.

v.

to tramp the bush, carrying a swag.

1861. T. McCombie, `Australian Sketches,' p. 5:

«There was the solitary pedestrian, with the whole of hissupplies, consisting of a blanket and other necessary articles,strapped across his shoulders – – this load is called the `swag,'and the mode of travelling `swagging it.'»

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