2 Allan, Battack Printing in Java. 



The sarong, as a portion of the attire of both men 

 and wonnen amongst the Malays, is worn in many ways. 

 It is of such a size and shape, that, at the desire of 

 the possessor, it becomes trousers or petticoat, shirt or 

 overall, or even an article of bed-clothing, and it is the 

 only form of bathing-costume which the natives use. 



The Malay is a true conservative in the matter of 

 dress, for, centuries ago, the sarong was worn as it is 

 to-day. In the very heart of central Java, there rises in 

 an open plain a massive pyramid of dark-grey stone, a 

 chaos of cupolas and spires, surmounted by a high 

 central dome. This is the Boro-bodoer, probably the 

 oldest Buddist remains in the world. It is an ancient 

 pile, dating back to the 7th or 8th centuries of this era, 

 and on its sculptured walls are to be seen figures of men 

 and women wearing the sarong as it is worn to-day. 

 Whether the sarongs of that time were battacked or not, 

 it is impossible to say, but it is known that a similar 

 method of printing on cloth was in use in Southern 

 India over 500 years ago, the wonderfully coloured 

 ^' palampoors " of Madras being produced then, and even 

 now, by a process which is a refinement of the present 

 battacking of Java. 



Until comparatively recent times the fabrics used for 

 clothing were entirely of native manufacture, but the 

 ease-loving Malay has found the product of Lancashire 

 looms equally satisfactory for his purpose, and the labour 

 which he is saved by using it counts for much in his 

 eyes. In the most out of the way districts one finds 

 Lancashire cottons in common use, but there is still a 

 good deal of the native-made product to be found in the 

 inland districts. 



The first stage in the conversion of white cotton into 

 battacked goods is naturally the removal of the size with 



