In 1846, while crossing the Sierra Nevada, more than half of the 89 member Donner Party perished in a surprise blizzard. Those who survived the four-month ordeal did so by eating their oxen, scavenging rodents, and- according to several personal accounts- dining upon their dead companions.
For the first time since the tragedy was recorded, a book combines archaeology with historical accounts of the motivations, fears, and agonies of those who participated in overland emigration, giving readers a clearer picture of the grim events. Donald Hardesty, anthropology professor at the University of Nevada at Reno, synthesizes archaeological research conducted at the Donner camps in 1989, 1990, and 1993. Hardesty includes details of the camps, descriptions of artifacts, and analysis of animal and human remains, providing the backdrop against which the Donner saga took place.
While his book answers many questions regarding the debacle, Hardesty fails to unravel some nagging mysteries surrounding the Donner story. For example, where is the exact location of the mountain cmpas? And if cannibalism occurred, where is the physical evidence? Still, the book’s combination of archival material and archaeology is an example of how scholars can successfully utilize different methods of research to bolster personal accounts.
