03-11-2008, 07:52 AM
Reality is more interesting than fiction, as in the case of the Donner family, an ill fated journey in winter towards California from Illinois in the 1800's:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party
" When one man gave out and had to be left behind, the others continued, but soon became lost and ran out of food. Caught without shelter in a raging blizzard, four of the party died. The survivors resorted to cannibalism, then continued on their journey; three more died and were also cannibalized.
Californians rallied to save the Donner Party and equipped a total of four rescue parties, or "reliefs." When the First Relief arrived, 14 emigrants had died at the camps and the rest were extremely weak. Most had been surviving on boiled ox hide, but there had been no cannibalism. The First Relief set out with 21 refugees on February 22.
When the Second Relief arrived a week later, they found that some of the 31 emigrants left behind at the camps had begun to eat the dead. The Second Relief took 17 emigrants with them, the Third Relief four. By the time the Fourth Relief had reached the camp, only one man was alive. The last member of the Donner Party arrived at Sutter's Fort on April 29.[2]
Of the original 87 pioneers, 39 died and 48 survived.[3]"
I once saw a PBS special on this piece of history.
http://www.donnerpartydiary.com/
There's more resources, many more, and of what actually happened from diary accounts, as opposed to hypotheticals.
No, men do not have to resort to murder. Man may lose vs Nature instead of fellow man. Besides, in the case of a cave in I'd rather be worried about a little thing like oxygen and water long before food. Humans easily don't need food for 2 weeks. Air and water are much more dire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party
" When one man gave out and had to be left behind, the others continued, but soon became lost and ran out of food. Caught without shelter in a raging blizzard, four of the party died. The survivors resorted to cannibalism, then continued on their journey; three more died and were also cannibalized.
Californians rallied to save the Donner Party and equipped a total of four rescue parties, or "reliefs." When the First Relief arrived, 14 emigrants had died at the camps and the rest were extremely weak. Most had been surviving on boiled ox hide, but there had been no cannibalism. The First Relief set out with 21 refugees on February 22.
When the Second Relief arrived a week later, they found that some of the 31 emigrants left behind at the camps had begun to eat the dead. The Second Relief took 17 emigrants with them, the Third Relief four. By the time the Fourth Relief had reached the camp, only one man was alive. The last member of the Donner Party arrived at Sutter's Fort on April 29.[2]
Of the original 87 pioneers, 39 died and 48 survived.[3]"
I once saw a PBS special on this piece of history.
http://www.donnerpartydiary.com/
There's more resources, many more, and of what actually happened from diary accounts, as opposed to hypotheticals.
No, men do not have to resort to murder. Man may lose vs Nature instead of fellow man. Besides, in the case of a cave in I'd rather be worried about a little thing like oxygen and water long before food. Humans easily don't need food for 2 weeks. Air and water are much more dire.