Roanoke: The Lost Colony - Part 2


After about four weeks, Fernandes was anxious to return to England. At the persistence of the colonists, White left his colony to return to England to secure supplies. He left behind his daughter, Eleanor White Dare who had given birth on August 18 to Virginia Dare, the first child born on American soil. White promised to return in six months and told the colonists that if they needed to move, to carve the name of their destination on a conspicuous tree. If they left in distress, they were to carve a Maltese cross over the name of their destination.

It would be three years before White was able to return to the colony. In 1588, tensions with Spain had escalated to war and Queen Elizabeth called for all available ships to be used for the protection of England. John White was able to slip away that year to try to return to Roanoke, but his ship was taken by a French warship and White was forced to return to England. By 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh had turned his attention to other projects and White was forced to raise money and a fleet on his own. Finally, in February 1590, White once again set sail for his City of Raleigh, three years after he'd promised to return.

Once he reached Roanoke in August 1590, there was no sign of the colonists, only smoke where they had landed. The letters C-R-O were carved in one tree and, nearby, the word C-R-O-T-O-A-N was carved on another tree. There was no indication of distress in the message. White prepared to sail south to the Croatoan tribe, but nature worked against him. A storm blew up while the ships were anchored off the coast, causing two anchors to break off of White's ship. White was forced to return to England and was unable to find sufficient backing for a return voyage. He never saw his daughter or granddaughter again.

What became of the colonists? There are several possible theories, none of which have been proven.

David Beers Quinn favors the theory that the majority of the colonists left to establish the City of Raleigh on the Chesapeake Bay soon after White sailed for England. The remaining colonists, about 25 men, remained at Roanoke to wait for White's return. The colonists probably integrated with the Chesapeake Indians after White did not return and the other men moved south and integrated with

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