Plot+-+An+Outpost+of+Progress

The story is set in the "Congo Free State“ at the end of the 19th century. At an isolated ivory trading station two cultures collide. After the old boss died of fever, two new agents from Belgium, Kayerts and Carlier, arrive by steamer at the station. The director of the trading company promises the two white men to pick them up in 6 months. Before he leaves again, the director predicts that they will fail. Makola, a native, is the book keeper on the outpost; he lives there with his family. At first Kayers and Carlier are busy and joyful, they see themselves as pioneers of trade and progress. Makola supervises ten station men who do all the work. Everybody at the station gets fresh food from a neighboring tribe, lead by “Father” Gobila. As you can already assume, the two white men aren’t able to run the outpost; they are lazy and incompetent. After two months, the situation gets more tense, they get fever and their attitude changes: Kayerts and Carlier are homesick and lonely. They care about nothing, except the steamer. One day, a group of armed men arrive at the station and with them comes a sense of danger. At this point it becomes undeniably clear that Makola and his wife are running the station. The two useless Belgians are convinced “that there was no power on earth outside of themselves to stand between them and the unusual” [19], except Makola, who talks to the armed natives. The following evening Makola organizes a party for the workers; at night Keyerts and Carlier hear drumming, shots and yells. The next day, the ten station workers have vanished. Makola has sold them to the armed Africans for ivory. When the two white men confronted with the truth about the slave-deal they are horrified, but do nothing about it, except to appease their consciences. To make matters worse, natives from Gobila's tribe had been at the party and one was shot down because he wasn't drunk and was aware of the slave-deal. Therefore, the natives from the surrounding village avoid contact with Makola and the whites. Consequently, their supply of food dries up while they are waiting for the steamer and they are eating just rice and drinking coffee without sugar. Kayerts and Carlier start to go crazy. The second climax of the story is a fight between them over the sugar, and Kayerts accidentally shoots the unarmed Carlier. The next day the steamer arrives, but first Carliers hangs himself on the cross of his predecesor. From the beginning the outcome of the story is clear; the director sends two useless men to a useless station. The two white men could be any colonial administrators at this time; the colonizers were incompetent; they were unable to survive without the help of the natives.