ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Duckshove to use unfair methods; be unscrupulous in dealings; to avoid responsibilities by pushing them off onto others.


Drongo A stupid person who cannot succeed, ( Named after a racehorse which was retired in 1925 after many starts but no wins. )


Drag Men Members of a droving team who ride behind the mob and bring in the stragglers. ( for you Bill ).



Bob

okay bob yeh that could be true but if my memory is correct drag is an american term you know you place was in the drag and not to be confused with the outfits that you wear when you are going to a party

we referered that saying that you were tailing the mob

bill the old battler

william williams wrote: not to be confused with the outfits that you wear when you are going to a party

My party outfits are not confusing...

Not into American stuff Bill. Reference is The Ringers Book Of Outback Terms and Phrases.

Edited by Jim Cuming

Bob

Here's some more.


Full Quid To be in complete possession of all one's faculties

Put the hard word on ! To ask a woman for her favours or to ask for a loan.


Rattle The Dags. To get a move on in the sheep run.



Robert

" Shoot through like a Bondi tram " to leave quickly.


And us poetic types, you and me Bob, recognise that the above is a simile and many of the sayings that you are reminding us of, are metaphors.

I was interested in that one from your Aussie book Bob referring to drag men...my immediate thought also was that it was an American term and sure enough found this term used a lot over there - this from a Montana web site

Ride the drag to push cattle, ride the flanks to keep those ol' girls in line. You'll be quite the hand!

Can't say I have ever heard it used here either

found this by Marshall Tucker

Hired me on a greenhorn Didn't know a rope from a horse
But I wanted to be a cowboy So I took the job of course
The foreman he said "Son you gonna ride At the end of my herd"
All the wranglers sat around in a circle And nobody said a word
'Cause there's a woman in my dreams That keeps me alive
If I ever see her again Lord I'll never ride drag on another cattle drive

There's a rumor goin' round That we're near a Kansas City town
And when you're ridin drag on this cattle drive
It takes 'bout a week for the word to get around
'Cause there's a woman in my dreams That keeps me alive
If I ever see her again Lord I'll never ride drag on another cattle drive

Think we need to stick with tailing the mob or tailenders

More bite than a Barcoo Dog or As much bite as a Barcoo Dog. - meaning a bloke with a bit of attitude and perhaps someone who is all puff and no blow.

A Barcoo Dog has no bite at all. A barcoo dog is a home made contraption sometimes found in sheep yards. Mainly just old bottle tops or even coffee can lids on a round of wire which when shaken rattles , and moves the sheep up the race or through the yards...think it just surprises them as it is different to the bark of the working dogs, and so they move off pretty quick. Our neighbour used one and it was amazingly effective .

Also the Barcoo Salute - waving hands near the face to brush away the flies

The book is availavle through the Stockmans Hall Of Fame and is only about 4.00.


Lots of good stuff in it.


Show Pony One who is more concerned with appearances than performance.


Open Slather A situation where there is no hindrance to what one wishes to do.


Slush Lamp A light made of a pannikin or empty jam tin, rendered animal fat and a moleskin wick.


Bob

Pretty sure the term drongo was coined for the bird who has a bad habit of diving head first into pools...no matter how shallow.

Mal