fossicker

• “A fossicker is one who goes along the river banks panning for gold, and a billabong is a water-hole or washing place.”

  Australia Looks Ahead

• “These (in 1879) were, of course, deserted or left to an occasional Chinese "fossicker," who rewashed the rejected pay dirt, which occasionally has enough gold in it to satisfy the easily-pleased”

  A Tramp's Notebook

• “_There_ a swagger meant a man who might rob or murder you in your sleep after you had fed and lodged him; or -- under the most favourable circumstances supposing him to be a "milder mannered man," -- a "fossicker," who would not hesitate to "jump your claim," or hang about when you are prospecting, to watch how much of the colour you found, and then go off stealthily to return next day at the head of a "rush" of a thousand diggers.”

  Station Amusements

• “One may present a narrow strip of soft sand, cringing and squeaking under foot, almost entirely composed of finely ground coral and shells, among which polished fragments of red coral are to the beach-comber as the “colours” the gold fossicker may find in his dish — prospective of reward.”

  Tropic Days

• “There was nothing left for him, Long Jim, to do, but to take his dish and turn fossicker; or even to aim no higher than washing over the tailings rejected by the fossicker.”

  Australia Felix

• “A story is told of an old fossicker who made his camp by a billabong.”

  Australia Looks Ahead

• “Next morning the old fossicker was packing up, "Moving on?" said the boundary rider.”

  Australia Looks Ahead

• “These ones had Chinky blood in them – daughters of a Chinaman fossicker ....”

  Lady Bridget in the Never-Never Land

• “A shout of derision came from the two men, and was echoed up and down the creek as each fossicker turned round to enjoy the spectacle of a”

  Colonial Born A tale of the Queensland bush

• “Revolvers were useless without ammunition, and ammunition cost money; knives which were useful in a fight, were also eligible for trading purposes as a medium of exchange for flour and tobacco: consequently both were absent from the movable property of the average fossicker of Boulder Creek.”

  Colonial Born A tale of the Queensland bush

Show 10 more examples...