Ran away from the Dutch : $b Or, Borneo from South to North

In the humid heat of a remote Bornean outpost, a colonial regiment faces a puzzling disappearance: four men—two Swiss scholars, a Belgian gun‑maker, and a native‑born soldier—vanish after roll‑call, leaving only a cryptic letter behind. The stern colonel, half‑distracted by his own paperwork, dispatches a small search party while the tension among the garrison rises, hinting at restless spirits and hidden motives in the jungle night. As the officers comb the quiet kampong, readers are introduced to the diverse cast of characters, from the shrewd Chinese trader Baba Poetjieng to the compassionate field doctor, each offering a glimpse of life on the fringe of empire.

Beyond the immediate mystery, the narrative unfurls a vivid portrait of Borneo’s rugged interior, its winding rivers and dense forests, and the complex web of cultures that thread through them. Travelers on foot and raft encounter remote villages, cholera funerals, and the looming presence of the Dutch military establishment, setting the stage for an adventure that will carry the protagonists from the island’s southern coast toward its untamed northern reaches.