SUMATRA. 
faflenmg in front with a large clafp of fillagrec or chafed wotk, with 
fomc kind of precious flone, or imitation of fuch, in the center. The 
badjoo, or upj>er gown, differs little from that of the men, buttoning in 
the fame manner at the wrids. A piece of fine, thin, blue cotton cloth, 
about five feet long, and worked or fringed at each end, called a fakn- 
dang, is thrown acrofs the back of the neck, and hangs down before ; 
ferving alfo the purpofe of a veil to the women of rank when they walk 
abroad. The handkerchief is canied, either folded fmall in the hand, or at 
length, over the llioulder. There arc two modes of drefling the ha?r, one 
termed comidycy and the o\hQvfango!L The firfl refembles much the fafliion 
in which we fee the Chinefe women reprefented in paintings, and which I 
Conclude they borrowed from thence, where the hair is wound circu- 
larly over the center of the head, and fattened with a filver bodkin or 
pin. In the other mode, which is more general, they give the hair a 
fingle turn as it hangs behind, and then doubling it up, they pafs it cro^s- 
wife, under a few hairs feparated from the reft, on the back of the head, 
for that purpofe. A comb, often of tortoifeihell, and fometimes fina- 
nced, helps to prevent it from falling down. The hair of the front, 
and of all parts of the head, are of the fame length, and when loofe, 
hang together behind, with mofl of the women, in very great quantity. 
It is kept moift with oil, commonly of the cocoa-nut, but thofe who can 
afford it make ufe of an cmpyreumatic oil, extracted from gum Benja- 
min, as a grateful perfume. They wear no covering, except ornaments 
of flowers, w^hicb, on particular occafions, are the work of much labor 
and ingenuity. I'he head drcfi«* of the dancing girls by profeffion, who 
areufually Javans, arc very artificially wrought, and as high as any mo- 
dern Englifii lady's cap, yielding only to the feathered plumes of the 
year 1777. It is impoffible to defcribe in words thefe intricate and fanci- 
ful matters, fo as to convey a jufi: idea of them. The flowers worn in 
undrefs are, for the nKtft part, ft rung in wreaths, and have a very neat 
and pretty effect, without any degree pf gaudinefs, being ufually white 
or pale yellow, finall, and frequently only half blown, Thofe gene- 
rally chofen for thefe occafions, are the yoongQ-tanjOfig and tmjg$-mel' 
hor : the hi^t^e-ch&QmpacQ is ufed to give the hair a fragrance, but i« 
N concealed 
