Chapter SAGWIRE to SAINT JOHN’S of S by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

SAGWIRE to SAINT JOHN’S

SAGWIRE, s. A name applied often in books, and, formerly at least, in the colloquial use of European settlers and traders, to the Gomuti palm or Arenga saccharifera, Labill., which abounds in the Ind. Archipelago, and is of great importance in its rural economy. The name is Port. sagueira (analogous to palmeira), in Span. of the Indies saguran, and no doubt is taken from sagu, as the tree, though not the Sago-palm of commerce, affords a sago of inferior kind. Its most important product, however, is the sap, which is used as toddy (q.v.), and which in former days also afforded almost all the sugar used by natives in the islands. An excellent cordage is made from a substance resembling black horse-hair, which is found between the trunk and the fronds, and this is the gomuti of the Malays, which furnished one of the old specific names (Borassus Gomutus, Loureiro). There is also found in a like position a fine cotton-like substance which makes excellent tinder, and strong stiff spines from which pens are made, as well as arrows for the blow-pipe, or Sumpitan (see SARBATANE). “The seeds have been made into a confection, whilst their pulpy envelope abounds in a poisonous juice—used in the barbarian wars of the natives—to which the Dutch gave the appropriate name of ‘hell-water’” (Crawfurd, Desc. Dict. p. 145). The term sagwire is sometimes applied to the toddy or palm-wine, as will be seen below.

1515.—“They use no sustenance except the meal of certain trees, which trees they call Sagur, and of this they make bread.” —Giov. da Empoli, 86.

1615.—“Oryza tamen magna hic copia, ingens etiam modus arbornm quas Saguras vocant, quaeque varia suggerunt commoda.” —Jarric, i. 201.

1631.—“… tertia frequens est in Banda ac reliquis insulis Moluccis, quae distillat ex arbore non absimili Palmae Indicae, isque potus indigenis Saguër vocatur. …”— Jac. Bontii, Dial. iv. p. 9.

1784.—“The natives drink much of a liquor called saguire, drawn from the palmtree.”—Forrest, Mergui, 73.

1820.—“The Portuguese, I know not for what reason, and other European nations who have followed them, call the tree and the liquor sagwire.”—Crawfurd, Hist. i. 401.

SAHIB, s. The title by which, all over India, European gentlemen, and it may be said Europeans generally, are addressed, and spoken of, when no disrespect is intended, by natives. It is also the general title (at least where Hindustani or Persian is used) which is affixed to the name or office of a European, corresponding thus rather to Monsieur than to Mr. For Colonel Sahib, Collector Sahib, Lord Sahib, and even Sergeant Sahib are thus used, as well as the general vocative Sahib! ‘Sir!’ In other Hind. use the word is equivalent to ‘Master’; and it is occasionally used as a specific title both among Hindus and Musulmans, e.g. Appa Sahib, Tipu Sahib; and generically is affixed to the titles of men of rank when indicated by those titles, as Khan Sahib, Nawab Sahib, Raja Sahib. The word is Arabic, and originally means ‘a companion’; (sometimes a companion of Mahommed). [In the Arabian Nights it is the title of a Wazir (Burion, i. 218).]

1673.—“… To which the subtle Heathen replied, Sahab (i.e. Sir), why will you do more than the Creator meant?”—Fryer, 417.

1689.—“Thus the distracted Husband in his Indian English confest, English fashion, Sab, best fashion, have one Wife best for one Husband.”—Ovington, 326.

1853.—“He was told that a ‘Sahib’ wanted to speak with him.”—Oakfield, ii. 252.

1878.—“… forty Elephants and five Sahibs with guns and innumerable followers.”—Life in the Mofussil, i. 194.

[ST. DEAVES, n.p. A corruption of the name of the island of Sandwip in the Bay of Bengal, situated off the coast of Chittagong and Noakhali, which is best known in connection with the awful loss of life and property in the cyclone of 1876.

[1688.—“From Chittagaum we sailed away the 29th January, after had sent small vessels to search round the Island St. Deaves.”—In Yule, Hedges’ Diary, Hak. Soc. II. lxxx.]

SAINT JOHN’S, n.p.
a. An English sailor’s corruption, which for a long time maintained its place in our maps. It is the Sindan of the old Arab Geographers, and was the first durable settling-place of the Parsee refugees on their emigration to India in the 8th century. [Dosabhai Framji, Hist. of the Parsis, i. 30.] The proper name of the place, which is in lat. 20° 12’ and lies 88 m. north of Bombay, is apparently Sajam (see Hist. of Cambay, in Bo. Govt. Selections, No. xxvi., N.S., p. 52), but it is commonly called Sanjan. E. B. Eastwick in J. Bo. As. Soc. R. i. 167, gives a Translation from the Persian of the “Kissah- i-Sanjan, or History of the arriva