A quantity of fowls flying together; a number of persons.
1718. Raft-fowl includes all the sorts of small Ducks and Teal that go in Rafts along the Shoar, and are of several sorts that we know no name for.—J. Lawson, ‘The History of Carolina,’ p. 150. (N.E.D.)
1833. Binny, and Everett, and Gallatin, and a raft more of such kinder fellows.—C. A. Davis, ‘Letters of Jack Downing, Major’ (1835), p. 88. (N.E.D.)
1845. “I’ve bought out the hull grocery,” sings out Jake Miller, standin’ in cap’n Todd’s store with a hull raft o’ fellers.—St. Louis Reveille, Sept. 1.
1856. She was a sick lookin’ woman, with a hull raft o’ young ones squallin’ round her.—Whitcher, ‘The Widow Bedott Papers,’ No. 20.
1872. She’s got a whole raft of children now, and has to pinch from morning to night to get them half clothed and fed.—J. M. Bailey, ‘Folks in Danbury,’ p. 9.
