The Character that Christian Kane played (Charles Stanton)had gone to California and come back to help the pioneers get to California and was very worn out from all the travel and lack of food. This was one reason he was unable to keep up with the others. He also suffered from snow blindness as he had been exposed to the snow more often then the others and another reason he was unable to go on.
No, they didn't go back and eat him. He told the others to go on ahead and the last any of them saw him, he was sitting by the trail calmly smoking his pipe. A year or two later men crossing the same area found his skeleton where he had last been.
Yes, they did kill someone during that scene but it is not accurate. Althought the pioneers did pull lots, the gentlemen who was so unlucky was never killed as noone had the heart to actually kill him. The only two of the group to be murdered were the two indians Lewis and Salvador. Salvador was left out of the story line for one reason or another. All other pioneers that passed away did so due to starvation and the cold.
The story is very sad and it can be disturbing..but it also is a story of strength, determination and love as when you read about it you learn of how much the families did to try to keep each other alive. I recommend you watch Rick Burns documentury "The Donner Party" if you haven't already. Very well done and you really get to know the story and the people well. :)
reply
share