The Incredible, Edible Leg Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nottingham Galley

In December 1710 the "Nottingham Galley" was wrecked on Boon Island and the survivors were left stranded on a desolate island without supplies or shelter. After struggling to survive for three weeks they turned to cannibalism, eating their dead ship mates. After this disaster local fishermen began leaving barrels of supplies on the island in case of future wrecks. In 1799 a lighthouse was built and there has been one on the site ever since.

The story of the "Nottingham Galley" and her crew was turned into a book "Boon Island" by Kenneth Roberts.

Answer: The Donner Party

The Donner Party left Independence, Missouri in May of 1846 as part of a large wagon train bound for California. In July a group of people decided to take a "shortcut" and broke away from the main group. This "shortcut" delayed them by three weeks and when they reached the Sierra Nevada a snowstorm blocked their way over what is now known as "Donner Pass".

When food became short 15 people tried to reach Sutter's Fort equipped only with crude snowshoes. They became completely lost in blizzards and ran out of food, and as they died the survivors resorted to cannibalism. Seven of them eventually made it to safety and relief parties were dispatched.

The relief parties found that survivors had started to eat the dead as food ran out. Out of a total of 87 original pioneers only 48 survived the journey.

Answer: The Spanish for "Carib"

The Carib tribe, after whom the Caribbean is named, were particularly warlike and aggressive. They believed that eating their fallen enemies would impart the bravery and the spirit of the dead, so the "honour" of being eaten was reserved for the bravest.

A particularly brave enemy who was captured alive would be tortured before being ritually slain and eaten as this was believed to instill even more of his spirit into those who partook of his flesh.

Answer: Andes

In October 1972 a Uruguayan Air Force flight carrying Stella Maris College rugby team to a match crashed in the Andes. Of the 45 people on the plane 12 died in the crash and another five were dead by the next day. Due to the short duration of the planned flight there were few supplies on the plane and the survivors were soon in a desperate situation.

Hearing on a transistor radio that the search for them had been called off, and faced with starvation, they started to eat their dead comrades, whose bodies had been preserved by snow and freezing temperatures. Eight further survivors died in an avalanche, after which two of the remainder decided to try to hike out to find help.

They were successful and rescue eventually arrived on 22 December 1972, some three months after the crash.

Answer: Kuru

Kuru is a degenerative neurological disorder. It is related to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and came to prominence after an epidemic in Papua New Guinea in the mid 20th century. Although it is transmissible between people there is evidence to show that the start of the outbreak was caused by the consumption of a person with CJD.

Answer: Mark Twain

The story concerns 24 gentlemen making a train journey who become trapped in a snowstorm. After seven days hunger overcomes them and they elect a committee to decide who to kill and eat. This continues until such time as they are rescued. The story is told by one of the survivors, and at the end you are left wondering if the story is true or if the narrator is deranged.

Answer: Long Pig

'Long pig' is used in many East Asian cultures to describe human flesh, and comes from the fact that it is said to taste like pork.

Answer: Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys, with most of his murders being committed between 1987 and 1991. When he was arrested various body parts were found in his refrigerator, and a human heart was in his freezer. As well as torture, dismemberment and necrophilia Dahmer also engaged in cannibalism of his victims.

David Berkowitz was "Son of Sam".
Richard Chase was "The Vampire of Sacramento".
Albert Fish was "The Werewolf of Wisteria", he also engaged in cannibalism of his victims.

There was also the case of Arnim Meiwes in Germany in 2003-2005. Not content with eating his victim, he filmed the proceedings!

Answer: Fiji

For many years Fiji was known as "The Cannibal Islands" and there were many eyewitness accounts of cannibalism from the few Europeans who had ventured there, including an 1844 account of a servant to the queen who tried to run away, and on her recapture had one arm cut off, which was then cooked and presented to the king to eat while she looked on.

Answer: Alexander Pearce

Alexander Pearce was transported to Australia in 1819 for stealing 6 pairs of shoes. He decided to make his escape and did so with seven fellow prisoners.
Pursued by the authorities and without food or water the prisoners took the decision to kill and eat one of their number. Alexander Dalton was the first to be killed and by the time he was recaptured Alexander Pearce was the only one left alive, the other six had all been killed and eaten.