"Men who had formerly been convicts, but who, after their period of servitude had expired, were called `emancipists.'"
1837. Jas. Mudie, `Felonry of New South Wales,' p. vii:
"The author begs leave to record his protest against the abuse of language to the misapplication of the terms <i>emancipists</i> and <i>absentees</i> to two portions of the colonial felonry. An emancipist could not be understood to mean the emancipated but the emancipator. Mr. Wilberforce may be honoured with the title of emancipist; but it is as absurd to give the same appellation to the emancipated felons of New South Wales as it would be to bestow it upon the emancipated negroes of the West Indies."
1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 69:
"The same emancipist will, however, besides private charity, be among the first and greatest contributors to a new church."
1852. `Fraser's Magazine,' vol. xlvi. p. 135:
"The convict obtained his ticket-of-leave . . . became an emancipist . . . and found transportation no punishment."
<hw>Emu</hw>, <i>n.</i> an Australian bird, <i>Dromaius novae-hollandiae</i>, Lath. There is a second species, Spotted Emu, <i>Dromaius irroratus</i>, Bartlett. An earlier, but now unusual, spelling is <i>Emeu</i>. <i>Emeus</i> is the scientific name of a New Zealand genus of extinct struthious birds. The word <i>Emu</i> is not Australian, but from the Portuguese <i>Ema</i>, the name first of the Crane, afterwards of the Ostrich. Formerly the word <i>Emu</i> was used in English for the Cassowary, and even for the American Ostrich. Since 1885 an <i>Emu</i> has been the design on the twopenny postage stamp of New South Wales.
1613. `Purchas Pilgrimmage,' pt. I. Vol v. c. xii. p. 430 (`O.E.D.'):
"The bird called Emia or Eme is admirable."