This image shows coolies transporting dry tobacco. In the 1860s when the tobacco industry began, Sumatra’s East Coast was thinly populated. The indigenous inhabitants, including the Karo Batak and the Malays, had little interest in working on the plantations. Thus, the Dutch planters were forced to bring in coolies from China, Java and India. These indentured coolies were often subjected to harsh treatment by the planters and had no recourse to protection under Dutch law. The image also shows one of the long and narrow roads that line the estates. The main road ran in a north-south manner and it was linked to the surrounding estates. Additionally, there were field roads running at right angles to the main road; these were not always kept open and were cleared when needed.
