The men knew they were starving, and they documented how they felt. Wrote Willis, “Starvation on nardoo is by no means very unpleasant, but for the weakness one feels, and the utter inability to move oneself, for as far as the appetite is concerned, it gives me the greatest satisfaction.” He died shortly after.
He needn’t have. You can eat nardoo, if you just cook it correctly. If they watched those Aborigine people prepare the plant, Burke and Wills would have seen you’re supposed to roast it before you grind it, and then you can eat the stuff just fine.
For more expedition madness, check out:
Lewis And Clark’s Expedition Was A Syphilitic, Poopy, Dog-Eating Mess
The Horrific Mystery Of The Arctic’s Stupidest Expedition
An Antarctic Crew Were Stranded On Ice For Over A Year
Follow Ryan Menezes on Twitter for more stuff no one should see.