Soledad
a small town on the Salinas River

the Salinas River
a river that flows through Southern California and into the Pacific Ocean

Gabilan Mountains
a range of mountains around Soledad

‘coons
racoons, small furry animals a bit like badgers

bindle
roll of blankets bound with string

jungle-up
making camp

a stilted heron
a water bird with long legs (like stilts)

Murray and Ready’s
a work agency. During the depression in America in the 1930′ s there were many unemployed men tramping about the country looking for work. Agencies were set up by the government to direct men to where workers were needed. The men were given work cards to identify them to their new employer.

Weed
a small town in California

bucking
hoisting, throwing – like a person being thrown off a horse

thrashin’ machines
threshing machines which separate the grains of wheat from the stalks

bucks
dollars

cat-house
brothel

pool
a game similar to snooker

hot water
trouble

coyote
a type of wild dog

blow their stake
waste their money

poundin’ their tail
working hard

blowin’ in our jack
wasting our money

brush
bushes