The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride

On December 27, the first task for the snowshoe party was to build a fire. To spare any familial trauma, they divided into groups, ensuring no one would have to witness or partake in consuming their own kin. For Sarah and Mary Ann Graves, the emotional burden was intense, knowing that at another campfire, their father was being consumed. The author notes that many facing starvation might choose death over cannibalism. However, the snowshoe party resorted to this extreme measure on December 27, 1846, after being without food for six days, driven by what they perceived as impending starvation, though they were actually suffering more acutely from hypothermia. Likewise, the psychological barrier to cannibalism had already been breached when Patrick Dolan had suggested it, pushing them into a desperate instinct for self-preservation.

By December 29, they felt strong enough to continue their journey. On January 5, William Eddy managed to kill a deer. During this time, Sarah and Jay began to lag behind; Jay, suffering from severe malnutrition and hypothermia, eventually collapsed and died in Sarah’s arms. She attempted to lie down and die alongside him but found herself unable to. The next morning, she continued. When she caught up with the group, Sarah informed them of Jay’s death.