bush telegraphs

Noun

bush telegraph (plural bush telegraphs)

1. (idiomatic) A system used by undeveloped societies in remote regions for communication over long distances, such as drum sounds, word-of-mouth relay, or smoke signals.
   • When I was born, family and friends came from all over, thanks to the bush telegraph. There were very few telephones where I grew up, so my father mentioned my birth to someone at the market. And that woman told a man who was delivering rice to a place up the road. He told someone there, who was...2007, "From Sudan to supermodel stardom," msnbc.com, 28 Aug. (retrieved 19 Sep. 2008)

   Synonyms:

   jungle telegraph

2. (idiomatic) A gossip network.
   • I suppose you've received information, by bush-telegraph, that that third assistant understrapper and ex-sailorman at Tulagi is going to deport me as an undesirable immigrant.1911, Jack London, chapter 9, in Adventure

   Synonyms:

   jungle telegraph, grapevine, rumor mill