outspan, noun

/ˈaʊtspæn/
Forms:
Also outspaan, outspann.
Origin:
From outspan verb.
1. In full outspan place: a. historical. In the days of waggon transport: land near a public road, set aside for public use, on which travellers broke their journey or camped while allowing their draught-animals to rest and graze. b. transferred sense commonage. c. figurative. Any place at which one may break a journey (see Prance quot. at 1937). d. In recent times: any piece of land formerly designated as an outspan place. Also attributive. In all senses formerly also called uitspan noun.
[1812 A. Plumptre tr. of H. Lichtenstein’s Trav. in Sn Afr. (1928) I. 19One of the many stations to which the name of Auspannplatze was given, because they ‘were established by the Government for the benefit of travellers as resting-places.’]
1821 C.I. Latrobe Jrnl of Visit 167A team or set of oxen or horses put to a waggon, is called by the Dutch a Spann, and those places in the wilderness, where halt is made and the oxen unyoked, an Outspann-place.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 92These uitspan or outspan places, are, in fact, the caravanserays of the Cape.
1827 G. Thompson Trav. 100Found another Bushman family at our outspann.
1827 G. Thompson Trav. 304The cattle are grazed on the outspann places set aside for public use.
1835 A. Smith Diary (1940) II. 61Went up to the front wagons and led them to a spot fixed as an outspan.
1835 H.I. Venable in D.J. Kotze Lett. of American Missionaries (1950) 70Outspan places are established by law for the accommodation of travellers.
1836 Ordinance for Defining Limits of Injury to Cape Flats & Downs in Stat. Law of Cape of G.H. (1862) 369Licence to graze horned cattle..upon the aforesaid crown lands not being outspan-places.
1840 C.A. Kinloch in Echo 26 Oct. 4We reached an outspan or halting place situated on the bank of a partially dry rivulet.
1841 B. Shaw Memorials 65To-day de Heer P. Van Aarde sent one of his slaves to our out span-place, to inform us that we might obtain supplies at his house.
1872 E. London Dispatch & Shipping & Mercantile Gaz. 19 Nov. 2Government notice 405, of 1859, provided for the establishment of well-conducted houses of accommodation on outspans.
1884 G.C. Cato in Natal Mercury (letter)I must leave out a lot of matter that took place between the Surveyor-General and myself about roads, outspans, seaboards, reserves.
1898 W.C. Scully Vendetta 129Its owner’s intention being to wait for his travelling companion at the next outspan place, where water and pasturage were known to be good.
1903 E.F. Knight S. Afr. after War 162According to the old Free State law, each farm has to provide a public outspan where sheep and cattle can graze and water when travelling.
1910 Act 11 in Stat. of Union (1911) 202It shall not be lawful for any tick-infested cattle to be upon..any public outspan or commonage.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 355At intervals along the roads in South Africa spaces are beaconed off, some public, others private, where animals may be allowed to be outspanned and allowed to graze; these spaces are known as ‘outspans’.
1936 E. Rosenthal Old-Time Survivals 9By an ancient law, virtually every settlement in the country has its ‘outspan’..where passing travellers are allowed to spend the night.
1936 E. Rosenthal Old-Time Survivals 10Smaller towns possess outspans, which also serve as the market squares.
1937 M. Alston Wanderings 36Near Mossel Bay we found a good outspan on open veld sheltered by thick bushes.
1937 C.R. Prance Tante Rebella’s Saga 28A shilling a day per team for outspan-fee.
1937 G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1901) VIII. 96 [see hartebeest adj.].
1948 H.V. Morton In Search of S. Afr. 278A brand new estate office has been erected on the outspan.
1948 George & Knysna Herald 21 May 8Several more outspans falling under the control of the Divisional Council are to be advertised for lease.
1951 L.G. Green Grow Lovely 206The old outspans are appreciated by picnic and braaivleis parties. If you have travelled not less than five miles you are legally entitled to outspan facilities, including the right to pitch a tent for twenty-four hours.
1952 B. Davidson Report on Sn Afr. 58Along the roadside at frequent intervals, now, there were crescent-shaped notices set on posts with the word outspan written on the crescent — the traditional camping sites for trek wagons.
1958 F.G. Butler in R.M. Macnab Poets in S. Afr. 12I stopped at the outspan place to watch..A little fire leaping near a wagon.
1961 D. Bee Children of Yesterday 2Back at their outspan the Swazi was asleep in a few minutes, wrapped in his single blanket beneath the jeep.
1970 S. Afr. Panorama June 31The transport-riders gradually disappeared from the scene and with them the game at the outspan places also disappeared.
1971 Grocott’s Mail 11 June 3Letting of Outspans. Notice is hereby given that in terms of Section 168 of Ordinance No. 15 of 1952 that it is the intention of the Divisional Council of Albany to let by Public Auction..the grazing rights of the Outspans hereunder described for a period of five years...(1) Fletchers Outspan, in extent 176.2022 Hectares situated alongside the Fort Beaufort Trunk Road, approximately 18 miles from Grahamstown.
1971 Grocott’s Mail 27 July 3The days of the voortrekkers are gone, and divisional councils no longer need outspans.
1975 Friend 25 June 8There were many places along those roads — mostly outspans — where transport riders could rest awhile before proceeding on their long journeys.
1982 E. Prov. Herald 23 June 3Three outspans in the eastern sector of the Dias Divisional Council are to be turned into nature reserves.
1985 S. Afr. Panorama Feb. 33The two caravan parks were formerly outspans for grazing horses and cattle.
1994 M. Roberts tr. of J.A. Wahlberg’s Trav. Jrnls 1838–56 64Willem had seen 4 lions at our previous outspan-place.
2. In historical contexts. In the days of waggon transport: the occasion or period of breaking a journey, unhitching the draught animals, and resting or camping.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 87Finding some waggons at outspan, we asked the favor of one of the boors to leave my bundle at Fortuintje, which lay in his road.
1824 S. Afr. Jrnl No.1, 28The ennui of a dreary journey or an evening outspann in the interior.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 18We journeyed onward,..enjoying our gipsy outspan in the middle of the day.
1871 W.G. Atherstone in A.M.L. Robinson Sel. Articles from Cape Monthly Mag. (1978) 94An old track..led us all right until dark, when we lost it again, and wandered away till prudence suggested an outspan.
1882 S. Heckford Lady Trader in Tvl 12Our evening outspann was on a bleak hilltop.
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 269The sun is well up and the air warm before the next outspan is made.
1897 J.P. Fitzpatrick Outspan 45In our routine there was as a rule no eating during the night outspan.
1900 F.D. Baillie Mafeking Diary 288Towards dark, after an outspan that was like a picnic, we reached Mr Wright’s farm.
1924 G. Baumann in Baumann & Bright Lost Republic (1940) 130On our way home, at one of our outspans, we bought a fowl.
1960 G. Lister Reminisc. 1The long treks, the outspans and all the excitement of pitching tents and cooking meals.
1969 P. Smith in Lennox-Short & Lighton Stories S. African 113They travelled slowly..with frequent outspans to rest their oxen.
1973 S. Cloete Co. with Heart of Gold 154Not once save at the midday outspan did he rest his oxen.
1994 M. Roberts tr. of J.A. Wahlberg’s Trav. Jrnls 1838–56 57From Bushman’s River to the first outspan by a small spruit, three and a half hours’ travelling.
3. Figurative and transferred senses. a. A stop-over, a break in a journey; a rest; a pause or digression. b. A place at which one breaks a journey; a resting-place.
1878 H.A. Roche On Trek in Tvl 110Treat this long digression, an’ it please you, as a kind of ‘outspan’ on paper.
1936 H.C. Bosman Mafeking Rd (1969) 10A ship isn’t so comfortable, of course. And it is further between outspans.
1977 E. Prov. Herald 18 Nov. 8He was photographed resting yesterday near Van Stadens River bridge, during his daily afternoon outspan.
land near a public road, set aside for public use, on which travellers broke their journey or camped while allowing their draught-animals to rest and graze.
Any place at which one may break a journey (see Prance quot. at 1937).
In recent times: any piece of land formerly designated as an outspan place. Also attributive. In all senses formerly also called uitspan noun.
In the days of waggon transport: the occasion or period of breaking a journey, unhitching the draught animals, and resting or camping.
A stop-over, a break in a journey; a rest; a pause or digression.
A place at which one breaks a journey; a resting-place.
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