Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 6.djvu/616

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. vi. DEC. 28, 1912.

WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that answers may be sent to them direct.

" To CARRY~ONE'S LIFE IN ONE'S HANDS " is an English phrase equivalent to exposing one's life to great danger :

" The Transatlantic ' railway-man,' whatever his rank, must at times carry his life in his hands, and is sure, at any rate, of his bellyful of adven- turous living." Times Lit. Suppl., Jan. 4, 1912.

What have the hands to do with the life of a person who risks it ? Is the comparison with objects carried visibly in the hand, so that they are open to attack ? Or is it with the money that a player or gambler holds in his hand as stake ? I cannot find the phrase in ' N.E.D.' under any of the three words where it should find its place.

G. KBTJEGEK.

Berlin.

" DOPE," " TO DOPE," " DOPER." What are the origin and derivation of these words ? They appear to be racing slang. In The Pall Mall Gazette of 20 Sept. is an article on ' The Doping of Racehorses.' In The Sla.ndard of next day is a telegram from Paris headed ' Horse " Doping^" in France.'

A " dope " appears to be a stimulant, containing such drugs as cocaine, arsenic, strychnine, heroin, quinine, caffeine, spar- teine, administered to a horse a little before a race. The former paper speaks of a " cocained horse " ; the latter, after men- tioning strychnine, caffeine, and sparteine. adds " or some similar alkaloid commonly used in ' doping,' " and speaks of the practice as " introduced from America." The " doper " is he who administers (or perhaps causes the administration of) the " dope."

According to the ' New English Dic- tionary,' "dope" is

" 1. Any thick liquid or semi-fluid used as an article of food, or as a lubricant. U.S."

No quotation is given of " dope " as a food. ROBERT PIERPOINT.

BRAWNE. Can any of your readers give me particulars concerning the family of Brawne of Kilburn, resident there the greater part of the eighteenth century of which family K eats' s Fanny Brawne was a member ? C. T. BAKER.

McFuNN. Can any of your readers give me information in regard to the surname McFunn ? Is it Scotch or Irish ? In what part of the country have families of that name been known ? What is the latest occurrence of the name V

The only information which I possess is as follows*: Capt. William McFunn of the Roval Navy came to Philadelphia, where, in "1752, he married Lydia Biddle. He was present at the battle of Quebec, was later Master of the Port at the island of Antigua, and died in America in 1767 or 1768. He appears to have been intimate with the officers of the Highland regiments stationed at Quebec. From the British Admiralty I have obtained a list of all the ships on which he served. The name some- what resembles the Irish Finn, but, on the other hand, an early copy of The Saturday Magazine mentions a Scotch peasant " who was called 'Funns' because his cot was surrounded by furze, called in some parts of the country 'funns.' "

LYDIA S. MONCTJRE ROBINSON.

Paoli, Pennsylvania.

THE SALE OF CHERRIES PROHIBITED. William Ellis of Little Gaddesden in his 'The Timber -Tree Improved,' 1742, sets forth

" Reasons humbly offered in behalf of the Coun- ties of Hertford, Bucks, Kent, Ac., For encouraging the Growth of the Black and other Cherry Irees.

"That by the late Act of Parliament for pro- hibiting the Consumption of the Black and other Cherries, the said Counties are miserably distressed ; for that the Black Cherry in particular, having many singular Advantages belonging to it, is, by the Disuse of it in compound Liquors, render d c little or no Service."

What was the Act referred to ? Why was it enacted, and when was it repealed ?

W. B. GERISH.

Bishop's Stortford.

"OAKE." "OKE." This word occurs in a will proved in 1665, and is apparently a measure of land somewhat under an acre. What was it ? The locality is in Flintshire, but neither the Welsh dictionary nor the ' N.E.D.' throws any light upon it. The following quotations will show how the word is employed : "At Chamberwen a parcel called one Oake " ; " one acre two oake at Peansamwell " ; "a parcel called one oke under Kilbin " ; " and one other Oake called Canacinan." " Called " in the first and third instances must mean " esti- mated as." G. S. PARRY.

17, Ashley Mansions, S.\V.