A large sheet of heavy canvas soaked in tar or oil until it sheds water, with worked eyelets along the edges for lashing. Tarpaulins cover wagon loads, deck cargo, and haystacks, and serve as a shelter for anyone caught out without a tent. Tarred cloth is stiff, filthy, and reliable; it cracks along its folds if stored creased in the cold.
Tarpaulin
Tarred canvas sheet for covering loads and shedding rain.