Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-29
Geographic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society


trade opportunities, glancing
through his daily papers, or listen
ing to an evenings radio concert, is
assailed by the varied facts that ca
~rousels and monographs may be
sold in Jamaica, that the Turks have
smashed into Smyrna, hat agents
for portable typewriters and kodaks
are needed in Peru, that CONSTANT
nople offers an excellent market for
lip sticks and cosmetics. and that the
tourist steamers are stopping for a
side trip to Djokjakarta.
Epics I'm Ten Words
Every item spells an epic of mod
ern progress, whether you wonder
more at the trade conquest of the
shaggy Andes, or the lntlmatlon
that when the Moselm Julie O'Grady
drops her veil she is determined to
rival her occidental sister in beauty
of the skim" says a bulletin from
the Washington, ID. c., headquarters
of the National Geographic Society.
But Djokjakarta stands out. 1t
is unpronounceable, 1t hitherto has
been all but inaccessible, and it is
among those wanderlust sirens
which whisper In day dream mo-
ments, You may come here some
day.
zone of the most fascinating spots
in this most Javan of Java cities is
the market. The Dutch have rooted
it. over, but under the tile shelters
the natives display baskets of rico
punches of bananas, and leaves bear
ing preparations of betel, peppers,
and ground coconut, just as they do
in every Javan town, where the mar
ket, or passar, Is a center of in
terest.
Banana Leaf is Wrapping Paper
'If your purchase Is small enough
20 warrant wrapping you get a neat
package inclosed in banana leaf,
which has been called the wrapping
paper of the tropics fastened with
a cactus thorn.
Back home the tailor has con-
sclidated with the bookblack; here
he has usurped a space in N.e mar
ket, sc that when the native calls
for the supplies he may have his
sarong mended. The loose, single
neither garment of the Javan, skill
fully twisted about the waist, is re-
culiarly liable to tears and rents.
ITO the American woman traveller
this garment is apt to be a matter
Of particular interest. For the last
few years the United States has
fallen victim to the lure of batik.
The Javans are the exponents of this
subtle and ~co1orful art. Unique
geographical conditions have foster
ed a unique art.
Volcanoes Fortified Java .
Java is extremely fertile-made
so by its numerous volcanoes those
much maligned beneficene forces.
The entire island Is the most luxu-
1 ria Mt pa rdan cnnf in all tho wnrid
L. is so densely populated hat its
inha bitants must till the soil, and
cannot pluck their food from throes
as in some South Sea isles. But they
do live by q minimum Of labor and
they require for shelter only a roof
over their heads to protect them
from the frequent rains.
THE result of these conditions
has been that the present day Javan
has had slight need to concern him
self with architecture, making ma
chimes, or household decorations
fsence his craving for self express
SIGN has expended itself in his per-
sonal adornment.
THE tedious process of ba.ik
making-application of wax to that
part of the design which is not 10
take the dye, the steaming put of
the wax and it's further application
as each successive color is employed,
and the knowledge of color required
to obtain the delicate shades ard
hues-long were mysteries which
amazed the occasional visitor TO
Java. Now they are known and prac-
ticed with varying degrees of pro-
ficiency in various art centers OF
American communities. This Javan
are inevitably suggests a comparison
with that distinctive American art,
color printing, which employs the
same basic principles in achieving
the finest ~graduations of color.
A Dinner Table Masterpiece
"Djokjakarta beckons tt the cpl
cure as well as to the asthete. Its
rijst-tafel, or rice table. affords a
rare gastronomic experience. A
japanese dinner beguiles the visit
ing diner with a series of exotic
tidbits served separately. The Javan
meal is q veritable symphony. with
its underlying motif a stratum OF
rice, and upon that rises a structural
harmony of foods-vegetables upon
egg. curry upon fish, fowl upon meat
The casual observer must not con-
clude that this is a sort of variant
of the alleged Chinese chop-suey OF
American invention, a mere hash
rather the principal Is one of blend
ing a rainbow of ~flavors, and tickling
the palate by a chromatic scale Of
taste, in much the same way as :he
batik maker strives for new com.
binations of color.
Though the modern Javan is not
concerned with architecture the isl.
and people of thousands of years
ago built temples and monument.
which today are objects Of wonder
to the student and fragments o.
beauty to the artist. Notable among
these is the Great Buddha, or Bore
jBoedoe, a mighty terraced temple
containing q massive image o.
Buddha and a remarkable series o,
bas-reliefs.
ITO the scientist the Island O.
Java is a potential laboratory fol
studies of volcanic action. Mt. Kat
mai, in Alaska, is the largest activ
volcano in the world, Blu. some o.
the long-silent craters OF Java are
greater even than giant Katmai
Vuicanism is a branch of natura
science which fs attracting evel
wider attention as 1t Is realized thai
volcanoes have played an important
part in making the earth habitable
for man."
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