03-12-2008, 01:59 AM
Strictly in regards to the Donner Party (ain't no party like a Donner party) situation, it's the breakdown of what is deemed acceptable even by the dire standards they were facing that to me is the real horror.
Seems a few came up with, 'ok, we'll eat the dead. But only those who died by natural causes, and no eating of one's own kin.' In a harsh and extreme survival situation, I guess it can be argued that protein is protein.
But near the end it came to this, at least according to http://discovermagazine.com/1992/marvingthroughthe4/
snipity snap:
Quote:The fourth and last rescue team reached the lake on April 17 to find Keseberg alone, surrounded by indescribable filth and mutilated corpses. George Donnerâs body lay with his skull split open to permit the extraction of his brains. Three frozen ox legs lay in plain view almost uneaten beside a kettle of cut-up human flesh. Near Keseberg sat two kettles of blood and a large pan full of fresh human liver and lungs. He alleged that his four companions had died natural deaths, but he was frank about having eaten them. As to why he had not eaten ox leg instead, he explained that it was too dry: human liver and lungs tasted better, and human brains made a good soup. As for Tamsen Donner, Keseberg noted that she tasted the best, being well endowed with fat. In a bundle held by Keseberg the rescuers found silk, jewelry, pistols, and money that had belonged to George Donner.
After returning to Sutterâs Fort, one of the rescuers accused Keseberg of having murdered his companions, prompting Keseberg to sue for defamation of character. In the absence of legal proof of murder the court verdict was equivocal, and the issue of Kesebergâs guilt remains disputed to this day. However, Tamsen Donnerâs death is especially suspicious since she had been in strong physical condition when last seen by the third rescue team.
On a lighter note, this reminds me of a skit by one of my favourite group, Kids In The Hall. Thanks for bringing up the Donner subject Drasca, I'm feeling kind of queasy now. Or maybe peckish... Where's that can of fava beans and the bottle of chianti.
http://www.kithfan.org/work/transcripts/...nibal.html