Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/513

 55 Mo-ăn, a.—Black; dark-coloured.

Mo-diar, s.—The gum of the Mut-yal, or Nuytsia floribunda, colonially, cabbage tree. Very abundant.

Modong, s.—A large sort of Melaleuca. Colonially tea tree, or paper-bark tree. It grows on swampy plains.

Mod-yart, s.—A species of eucalyptus; colonially called cedar. It works more kindly than the mahogany, and is preferred for cabinet work, as being lighter. It is not abundant.

Mogang, s.—A stranger; any person or thing unknown in a place; a foreigner, and regarded by the aborigines, therefore, as an enemy.

Mogin, a.—Like; similar to. (Upper Swan dialect.)

Mogo-in, a.—Like; similar to.

Mohăm, v.—Pres. part, Mohamin; past tense, Moham. To bellow.

Mokyn, a.—(Upper Swan dialect.) Applied particularly to a wild dog. Durda Alokyn, a wild untamed dog.

Molada, s.—White ant. No timber except the mahogany should be suffered to rest at any length of time upon the ground, as they inevitably attack it. All dead timber seems particularly attractive to them. Growing trees, especially blue gum, and red gum, are frequently destroyed by them. They never come voluntarily into daylight, and their presence is detected by pipes of clay, with which they form their covered ways. Large limbs and branches of trees frequently fall suddenly from the effect of their ravages.

Molar, s.—Large pebbles; collection or mass of large gravel.

Molorn, s.—The loins.

Molytch, s.—White ant's nest, made of stiff clay. The natives pull out the young at one season, and eat them.

Monak, a.—Clear; fine; sunshiny weather.

Mongarn—(K.G.S.) A species of acacia.

Mon-gor, s.—Fat, grease.

Mon-gorăl, a.—Fat, stout.

Monno, s.—A whirlwind.

Monong, s.—A pool of water.

Mon-yo, v.—A ceremonious meeting arranged for the purpose of conferring upon certain elderly females the character and office of Moyran, or grandmother. Upon these occasions presents are interchanged between the Moyran and the person conferring the distinction, who is usually some man of influence in the tribe. The parties having embraced, the Moyran offers to the man and his wives implements of war and ornaments. The man, on his part, makes her a suitable return, and the ceremony is concluded. But it is a proceeding which confers upon the woman privileges of importance to all parties. She can henceforth no more be carried off for a wife or female drudge, nor be made a victim of revenge. Her influence is henceforth powerful with her tribe, either in stirring them up to war, or in allaying and reconciling quarrels. She is even permitted, if she think fit, when a dispute is anticipated, to mingle among the threatening combatants, and deprive their spears