Chapter WOOD-APPLE to WUG of W by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

WOOD-APPLE to WUG

WOOD-APPLE, s. [According to the Madras Gloss. also known as Curd Fruit, Monkey Fruit, and Elephant Apple, because it is like an elephant’s skin.] A wild fruit of the N.O. Aurantiaceae growing in all the drier parts of India (Feronia elephantum, Correa). It is somewhat like the bel (see BAEL) but with a still harder shell, and possesses some of its medicinal virtue. In the native pharmacopœia it is sometimes substituted (Moodeen Sherif, [Watt, Econ. Dict. iii. 324 seqq.). Buchanan-Hamilton calls it the Kot-bel (Kathbel), (Eastern India, ii. 787)].

1875.—“Once upon a time it was announced that the Pádsháh was about to pass through a certain remote village of Upper India. And the village heads gathered in pancháyat to consider what offering they could present on such an unexampled occasion. Two products only of the village lands were deemed fit to serve as nazrána. One was the custard-apple, the other was the wood-apple … a wild fruit with a very hard shelly rind, something like a large lemon or small citron converted into wood. After many pros and cons, the custard-apple carried the day, and the village elders accordingly, when the king appeared, made salám, and presented a large basket of custard-apples. His Majesty did not accept the offering graciously, but with much abusive language at being stopped to receive such trash, pelted the simpletons with their offering, till the whole basketful had been squashed upon their venerable heads. They retired, abashed indeed, but devoutly thanking heaven that the offering had not been of wood-apples!”—Some Unscientific Notes on the History of Plants (by H. Y.) in Geog. Mag., 1875, pp. 49–50. The story was heard many years ago from Major William Yule, for whom see under TOBACCO.

WOOD-OIL, or

GURJUN OIL, s. Beng.—H. garjan. A thin balsam oil drawn from a great forest tree (N.O. Dipterocarpeae) Dipterocarpus turbinatus, Gaertn., and from several other species of Dipt., which are among the finest trees of Transgangetic India. Trees of this N.O. abound also in the

Malay Archipelago, whilst almost unknown in other parts of the world. The celebrated Borneo camphor is the product of one such tree, and the saulwood of India of another. Much wood-oil is exported from the Burmese provinces, the Malay Peninsula, and Siam. It is much used in the East as a natural varnish and preservative of timber; and in Indian hospitals it is employed as a substitute for copaiva, and as a remedy for leprosy (Hanbury & Flückiger, Watt, Econ. Dict. iii. 167 seqq.). The first mention we know of is c. 1759 in Dalrymple’s Or. Repertory in a list of Burma products (i. 109).

WOOLOCK, OOLOCK, s. [Platts in his Hind. Dict. gives ulaq, ulak, as Turkish, meaning ‘a kind of small boat.’ Mr. Grierson (Bihar Peasant Life, 42), among the larger kinds of boats, gives ulank, “which has a long narrow bow overhanging the water in front.” Both he and Mr. Grant (Rural Life in Bengal, 25) give drawings of this boat, and the latter writes: “First we have the bulky Oolák, or baggage boat of Bengal, sometimes as gigantic as the Putelee (see PATTELLO), and used for much the same purposes. This last-named vessel is a clinker-built boat—that is having the planks overlapping each other, like those in a London wherry; whereas in the round smooth-sided oolak and most country boats, they are laid edge to edge, and fastened with iron clamps, having the appearance of being stitched.”]

1679.—“Messrs. Vincent” (&c.) … “met the Agent (on the Hoogly R.) in Budgeroes and Oolankes.”—Fort St. Geo. Consns., Sept. 14. In Notes and Exts., Madras, 1871.

[1683.—“… 10 Ulocks for Souldiers, etc.”—Hedges, Diary, Hak. Soc. i. 76.

[1760.—“20 Hoolucks 6 Oars at 28 Rs. per month.”—In Long, 227.]

1764.—“Then the Manjees went after him in a wollock to look after him.”—Ibid 383.

1781.—“The same day will be sold a twenty-oar’d Wollock-built Budgerow. …”—India Gazette, April 14.

1799.—“We saw not less than 200 large boats at the different quays, which on an average might be reckoned each at 60 tons burthen, all provided with good roofs, and masted after the country manner. They seemed much better constructed than the unwieldy wullocks of Bengal.”—Symes, Ava, 233.