The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-22
COWBOY DRESS.
WHY CATTLE HERDERS WEAR
SOMBREROS AND LONG HAIR.
Useful Purpose Served by Big Hats
and Long Hirsute Adornment-
Uses of Other Striking Ar
ticles of Apparel.

'It is the general impression among
the people of the East, as we'll as with
, tourists in the great West" sad the
clever cowboy lecturer and writer, J. 81.
Sullivan, who is known on the plains
and elsewhere as Broncho John, that
the long hair, wide trimmed hats, Big
spurs, fringcd leggings, and other strik-
| ing things in a cowboys outfit and ap-
pearance are worn simply for show and
bluster; but, like many other popular
ideas about cowboys, that impression is
entirely wrong.
take, for instance, the cowboys big
trimmed hat. The fact alone that it has
been worn without changing fash on for
generation after generation is enough to
Indicate that use, not vanity, dictated its
origin. Until recent years, when the
| Importance of these hats was recognized
| by hat manufacturers aud wool, felt and
| fur were turl.ed to account in making them
we made our own hats. A hole. as near
the shape and size of our head as we
could make was dug in the ground. A
large circular piece of raw hide, wet,
soft, and pliable, was spread over the
hole With bunch of grcss or buckskin
the center of the rawhide was pressed
down into the hole until it assumed its
size and shape. The surrounding circle
| of hide, which was to be the rim was
kept flat on the ground by constant pat
| ting of the hands all around it. When
the hat was nodded it was left until it
was we'll dried by the sun. Then it was
taken to place where smoke aud heat
scorched it so that it WAS perfectly water
| proof. Then it was trimmed with strings
and straps and was ready for use, and
| that use is often to throw q quickly
spreading prairie fire blck on the burned
ground be ore it has chance to gain
| headway; often to turn wild cattle and
korses in the direction we want them to
90. When the sun is scorching hot and
there is b,i ter in every pull of wind,
! this great hat is much cooler than straw
| hat. When the wind is blowing the sand
/ like hot shot in our faces we would suf-
| fer greatly but for the protection afforded
by the BIZ g-r.mmed hat. When the mud
| is flying from the heels of stampeding
cattle, Cr the terrible hailstorms of the
plains are pelting upon us, these hats are
| the best friends We have. We wear
leather bands on all or hats, because cot
ton, wooIen or silk won't W ear nd won't
keep the hats on.
"Nowadays our hats are made in the
East, and made of the best fur of the
| best water animals. We can wash them
or soak them in water for that matter,
after they have been exposed to all kinds
of weather, and they hold their shape as
| if they were just out of the factory.
They will do service for many years. The
Stetson hat is the most commonly used
in the West. They cost from s. to $50.
If made t. order they cost a great deal
more. I have seen hats that cost $500.
These fur hats have taken the place of
| the old home made rawhide hats, as they
| answer every purpose.
"As to our long hair, there are good
reasons why we wear it. Our business is
out doors, rain or shine, and in many
changes of climate, and we have found
from experience that the greatest protec-
ton to the eyes and ears is long hair.
Old miners and prospectors know this
| we'll Hunters, scouts, trailcls and guides
let their hair grow as rule Those who
have been preludiced against it have suf-
fered the consequences Of sore eyes, pains
in the head, and loud ringing in the ears.
A peculiar result of exposure without the
protection of long hair is loss of hearing
in one ear, caused by one or the other of
the ears being exposed more when the
plainsman is lying on the ground.
Healthy hearing and eyesight are of the
greatest importance to scout, hunter or
herdsmen. When we sec On object at q
| distance we want to know whether it is
cloud burst coming upon US, a prairie
fire, an enemy in the neighborhood, or
what it is The longer we look at it the
more distinct it becomes, if our eyes are
| good. 1t won't do for them to be wax
or watery, and, having found that the
growth and wearing of long hair not
| only preserves but strengthens our sight
and makes our hearing more acute, we
let nature have her way in the matter,
and profit by it. There are some white
men whose interests call them to live
among the Indians, and it is fact that
by letting their hair grow long they gain
favor with the peop.e they live among,
and get along much better.
II have often heard people say that
| they should think the cowboy had
enough things about him to attract
attent en- without ing great big
handk erchief about ...s neck instead of
carrying i in his pocket, and yet if it
wasn't for that handkci chief we would
frequently be put to much inconvenience
if not actual suffering, Many time
have 1 had my face and eyes covered and
filled with mud while at full speed On
nv horse at critical time in stampede
or in danger. With my big handker-
chief ready on my neck have but to
seize it and clean my eyes, without re-
laxing my horses speed for second. as
I would have to do if the handkerchief
were carried in pocket. Then it is
frequently called INTO use as veil during
the fierce sand storms we encounter in
crossing the country, and that is why it
is made so large. Being of inestimable
service in the sand storms, we can't be
too careful of the safety of our handker-
chief. Tied about the neck it is handy
and secure. Many time; when it is being
used by the cowboy the stumbling of his
horse at full gallop will call into use
both hands. and the handkerchief must
be dropped instantly. There is no time
to tumble for a pocket, and if it were
not secured as it is, it would be lost.
"Anothcr thing that worries the East
ern people great deal is the fringcd
| buckskin clothing Of the cowboys. 'Why