On the steamy island of Java are two adjacent plantations, one run by the Uhlstra family and the other by Geber, a bachelor who wants to cash in his investment in order to return to Europe by selling his plantation to his neighbor. But the gruesome murder of his estate manager Josef and the torching of Josef's house, followed by the arrival of troops to guard it, drastically reduce the plantation's value. The spiraling series of events that follows leads, ultimately, to tragedy.
P.A. Daum (1850-1898) was editor of a popular newspaper in central Java. His work is known for its direct style, sense of humor, and psychological portraiture.