THE NETHERLANDS-EAST-INDIES. 11 



which is so often inevitable in geologic work, wears them out very 

 soon. Most satisfactory seem to be easily fitting (but not wide) 

 leather shoes. Hungarian leather is to be preferred, which should 

 be kept supple through regular greasing with cod-liver oil or 

 linseed-oil and which by no means should be dried near a fire. 

 Shoes, the leather of which is hard and stiff, should never be used. 

 If stiff they should be moistened in water beforehand and put on 

 damp. Boots with high legs are heavy and less practical. Low shoes 

 with puttees are preferable though these are somewhat warm. The 

 authors always used puttees with straps and front flaps, to which 

 various advantages are attached, and by means of which the intrusion 

 of insects (especially blood-suckers) is almost prevented, especially 

 when the legs of the trousers are put inside the socks. 



3. Headwear. A light bamboo-hat, such as the military men 

 wear, is very convenient. However in a dense forest in a newly- 

 cut path and particularly when measuring by means of telescope- 

 instruments a hat may cause great trouble. Therefore a cap should 

 always be ready at hand. 



4. Eaincoats are very warm and can be used at most only in 

 the mountains. The Mattamae raincoats advertised at present, 

 which wheigh only one pound, seem very satisfactory in open 

 country. 



5. Sleeping -requisites. Though camps-beds are sold in the shops, 

 they are as a rule not strong enough to stand the rather rough 

 treatment and many transports, on the long run. The best thing 

 is a so-called telescope- camp-bed, which should be carefully examined 

 beforehand and reinforced in its weak spots. A thin mattress should 

 be made to fit and packed along with the required pillows, blan- 

 kets, sheets (and the mosquito-curtain), the whole outfit rolled up 

 in a bag of strong oiled canvas, which can be closed with a rope 

 and padlock (like the linen-bags used on board the steamers). As 

 a protection against mosquitos and other flying insects a mosquito- 

 curtain (klambu) should be made round the campbed. Height about 

 2 ! / 2 M. : the top (tenda) material is made of strong cotton or thin 

 linen ; the sides of mosquito-netting (such as is also sold in Europe) 

 not too closely woven. The two halves of 



one of the long sides pass over each other ^ 9 



at least 0.60 meter to serve as a passage. On 



the 4 corners of the tenda are fastened small & b 



<;060> 



but strong loops to draw up the mosquito- ^ ^ 



net by means of a piece of tape or string. 



6. Field-table with detachable top, or a folding-table, and folding- 



