6 Allan, Battack Printing in Java. 



combination. The cloth is first dyed with the indigo, 

 and then before being immersed in the brown dye is 

 freed from the old wax and reprinted with wax on those 

 parts which are to be protected from brown, some of 

 which are the original white, and others the blue, where 

 this is to be left of the pure indigo shade. 



The indigo which is used is of native manufacture, 

 and is always in the form of a moist paste. The dye- 

 bath is prepared by diffusing a quantity of this paste in 

 water and reducing it with waste molasses from the sugar 

 factories by fermentation, a process which is similar to 

 the bran fermentation vat so largely used in wool dyeing 

 in our own country. In another factory, I have seen, the 

 solution is kept alkaline with a mixture of wood ashes 

 and quicklime and gently warmed. The preparation of 

 the indigo bath in this way is interesting, as it is similar 

 to a method used in this country for fixing indigo in 

 printing, by means of a reducing mixture of glucose and 

 caustic soda. 



To obtain the full depth of blue that is required it is 

 usual to dip and expose the cotton to the air several 

 times, the process therefore taking some little time to 

 complete. 



In preparing the brown dye the mangrove bark is 

 first broken into small pieces, and then boiled for some 

 time with water, so as to obtain the whole of the soluble 

 extractive matter. After removing the bark, the solution 

 is concentrated to a very thick brownish black syrup, and 

 kept in stock for use as required. As a rule no mordant 

 is used with this brown dye, which is essentially of the 

 cutch type, although in this country when dyes of this 

 character are used, both copper sulphate and bichromate 

 of potash are employed as fixing agents. To fix this dye 

 the natives simply expose the fabric to the air for some 



