1697.] DRESS OF WOMEN. 267 



part of their Breasts. Under this Corselet, which hardly 

 reaches to their Hipps, they wrap their Bodies in a sort of 

 Scarf of divers Colours, which serves them for a Petticoat, 

 and which being light and thin, requires two or three folds 

 to keep them warm. Tliis covers them to their Ancles, hut 

 as they wear no Smocks, tliere is always a List of brownish 

 Flesh (which it may be, would not be better if it were alto- 

 gether white) seen between the bottom of the Wastcoat, and 

 the upper part of the Scarf.^ This covering fitting close to 

 their Bodies, displays the bad shapes of some of them, as it 

 does the good of others, which last has, I know not what 

 bewitching effect. The richest of Women wear Slippers, 

 which perhaps may be a mark of Distinction, because few 

 wear them, tho' they cost but little. 



When these Women marry any Hollanders, or other Chris- 

 tians, they are likewise oblig'd to espouse the Christian 

 Religion.^ God only knows what sort of Christianity that is, 



1 In orig. : " Cette enveloppe les bride devant & derriere, aux 

 environs de ce qui est au dessous de la ceinture, & fait un pen trop 

 voir la forme du corps ;\ celles qui I'ont mal bati ; mais a quelque chose 

 de drole, dans les jolies tallies." 



'' Their dress is very light and airy ; they have a piece of cotton cloth 

 wrapped round the body, and fastened under the arms, next to the skin ; 

 over it they wear a shift, a jacket, and a chintz petticoat ; which is all 

 covered by a long gown or Kahay^ as it is called, w^hich hangs loose ; 

 the sleeves come down to the wrists, where they are fastened close with 

 six or seven Utile gold or diamond buttons. . . . They all go with 

 their heads uncovered ; the hair, which is perfectly black, is worn in a 

 wreath, fastened with gold and diamond hair-pios, which they call a 

 Conde ; in the front, and on the sides of the head, it is stroked smooth, 

 and rendered shining by being anointed with cocoa-nut-oil." (Stavori- 

 nus, I. c, p. 323.) 



2 Thorn says that " the professed religion of the Malays and Javanese 

 is Mohamedanism, but mixed with many superstitions. They seem 

 indeed to be so very careless of its rites that it would be difficult from 

 common observation to ascertain the nature of their faith and worship." 

 (Op. cit., p. 239.) 



Wilcocke states that the Cheik Ibn Molana, an Arabian, came to 

 Java in 1406, but that Mahomedanism had, according to Valentyn, 



