The Old Yellow Slicker
How dear to my heart was that old yellow slicker,
I carried 'way back in my cowpunchin' days;
'Twas stiff as a board, but I wasn't a kicker
When it was a-rainin' an' me huntin' strays.
I carried it tied at the back of my saddle,
All ready for blizzard or windstorm or rain,
An' 'twas my salvation when I had to straddle
My bronc' an' lope out on the mud-spattered plain.
That old yellow slicker,
That spacious old slicker,
I carried on many a round-up campaign!
That old yellow slicker! 'Twas big and 'twas roomy;
It sure kept me dry when the rain trickled down;
I wore it on night-herd with skies black and gloomy,
It covered me well from my feet to my crown.
No matter how sloppy or muddy or lowery;
No matter how cold or unpleasant the storm,
No matter how blusterin', gusty or showery,
That old yellow slicker I wore kept me warm!
That ill-fittin' slicker,
That fish-oil-soaked slicker,
Its mission it never yet failed to perform.
That old yellow slicker which I have defended
Hangs there in the bunkhouse agin the log wall;
Its mission's fulfilled, an' its range life is ended--
No more do the herds on the cattle-trail call.
But sometimes I dream in the dim summer gloamin',
An' there in the embers which flicker an' change,
I catch a faint glimpse of the herds that were roamin',
An' think of that slicker I wore on the range.
That battered old slicker,
That old yellow slicker,
A cattle-day relic I'll never exchange!
From 'Trail Dust of a Maverick', 1914 - E.A. Brininstool
That 'Old Yellow Slicker' is a most valuable piece of gear - and when you're creating any sort of Impression that deals with the trail-driving days, cowboying, or outdoor work - you need one...
Originals were soaked in an aromatic oil derived from fish - for the waterproofing/water repelling properties.
They also could be somewhat flammable...
Today - Wyoming traders makes a helluva nice example, and they're available at a couple of places:
'The Fort' - Lincoln, NE - 1-877-907-3678 X199 (toll-free) - ask for Terry Lane or Glen Carman
'Tonto Rim Trading Co.' - Seymour, IN - 1-800-242-HATS - (toll-free) ask for Denny Shewell
'River Junction Trade Co.' - 1-319-873-2387 - ask for Jim Boecke
I'm certain that there are more - but finding them is up to you.
When you're sizing - remember that you'll most likely be wearing extra clothing and order appropriately.
These are 'slickers' - the unlined Gore-Tex of the open range - and like that fine product, they're most definitely not warm unless you have something on underneath that helps the process (that's why God invented wool) - but they do ward off rain and wind admirably, and they enhance your Impression authentically.
Vaya,
Scouts Out!