DRAMA. The whites working a rubber plantation in West africa slowly collapse under the multiple strains that their life-style imposes.

Rl.1. Introduction about the effect of damp rot in West Africa (50ft). On a rubber plantation in the Gold Coast in West Africa. Weston, the superintendent, curses Ashley, a ruined, drunken, broken young man, for not controlling the natives. All Ashley can muster as a response is to call Weston a swine and to curse the heat. It's his last day. He complains to the doctor about Weston. The doctor manages in the place by staying drunk. The boat arrives. The doctor hopes for a letter which does not come. Ashley sees his replacement, Langford, who is introduced by the doctor to Weston. Weston is very short and tells Langford he will not survive the place. The boat skipper, the two crew and the missionary join the doctor and Ashley in a very drunken party. Weston learns from a letter that Langford is to replace him as Superintendent. Weston shows him the wet rot which infests everything and warns him that he will also become infested - he's not right to fight it. Ignoring this, Langford gives the skipper a list of items to bring next time(1556ft). Rl.2. The doctor leaves the Superintendent's tatty bungalow. Weston, on his way out, warns Langford again about the wet rot. He predicts what will happen as Langford stays longer on the plantation; how he will become demoralised and dirty and even sleep with native girls. Langford denies it all. After Weston goes, a native girl, Tondelayo, arrives in Langford's bungalow and tries to seduce him. he manages to reject her. Later Weston returns and reports to Langford, saying that they are unintelligible. Still Langford is claiming that he is not acclimatised. The doctor is visited by Weston who claims that Langford is on the road to ruin. Langford begins to display the first signs that Weston had told him about. Weston continues to taunt him (1583ft). Rl.3. The doctor and Langford talk about Langford's growing involvement with Tondelayo. Weston and Langford become more set against each other as Weston's predictions become fact. The next time the boat comes in Weston and Langford make an attempt to become friends but the appearance of Tondelayo causes the rift to widen again. Langford tries to reject Tondelayo but she manages to seduce him. In an attempt to outwit Weston, Langford declares his intention to marry Tondelayo and he calls for the missionary to marry them. Weston and the doctor accuse Langford of suffering sex starvation and tries to prevent the marriage (1751ft). Rl.4. The marriage ceremony is completed. In her new elevated position Tondelayo takes to maltreating the natives as well as demanding almost constant sexual attention from her husband. She annoys hm so much that he walks out. The missionary calls to explain to Tondelayo the meaning of marriage. In the doctor's bungalow Langford is suffering from a high fever and a burning throat. He complains that the quinine burns his throat. The doctor cannot understand. Tondelayo collects another batch of poison from a native. Weston realises what is happening and when Tondelayo tries to administer more poison he makes her take it because she says it is medicine. Soon afterwards the boat arrives. The doctor goes with him as far as the port down the river. A new young man, Worthing, arrives and Weston reacts to the new man in the same way as he always has before. The story will repeat (1969ft)