The Lost Colony
John White was still hoping that the settlers could move to the previous planned location in the Chesapeake Bay area. It was planned that they would all move on, and Manteo would stay behind, and become “lord of Roanoke and Dasemunkepeuc” (Horn, 2010, p. 159). Manteo had been loyal to the English over the past three years and was made “Raleigh’s Indian Governor” (Horn, 2010, p. 159). This would make it possible for the settlers to move on, but England would still have a settlement in Roanoke. The colony was in high need of supplies and someone had to go back to England and gather supplies
for them. No one had done anything to prepare for the winter and when they
arrived it was too late in the season to plant crops. It was decided that John
White would return to England. Before John White could leave he had to make
plans for what the settlers would do. They decided that the settlers would move
to a new location. The new location would either be to move towards the
Chesapeake Bay or to move inland toward the Chowanocs, a tribe that was thought
to be friendly by earlier expeditions, or 50 miles inland (Horn, 2010). There
were to be a few people that would remain behind on Roanoke in order to maintain
communications upon his return. If there was an emergency the colonists agreed
upon a message that they would leave for John White. The settlers were to carve
the name of the location that they were going to on a tree if they had to leave
suddenly. If there was danger surrounding their departure they were to carve a
cross over the letters (Horn, 2010). John White was very worried about leaving
the colonists. The site in Roanoke had proven before not to be a good place for
settlement. There was worry of the surrounding Indians attack on the colonists
and discovery by the Spanish (Horn, 2010). On August 27, 1587 John White
departed the colony in Roanoke. He didn’t know it at the time, but this would
be the last time anyone ever set on eyes on the colonists that were left behind
at Roanoke.
for them. No one had done anything to prepare for the winter and when they
arrived it was too late in the season to plant crops. It was decided that John
White would return to England. Before John White could leave he had to make
plans for what the settlers would do. They decided that the settlers would move
to a new location. The new location would either be to move towards the
Chesapeake Bay or to move inland toward the Chowanocs, a tribe that was thought
to be friendly by earlier expeditions, or 50 miles inland (Horn, 2010). There
were to be a few people that would remain behind on Roanoke in order to maintain
communications upon his return. If there was an emergency the colonists agreed
upon a message that they would leave for John White. The settlers were to carve
the name of the location that they were going to on a tree if they had to leave
suddenly. If there was danger surrounding their departure they were to carve a
cross over the letters (Horn, 2010). John White was very worried about leaving
the colonists. The site in Roanoke had proven before not to be a good place for
settlement. There was worry of the surrounding Indians attack on the colonists
and discovery by the Spanish (Horn, 2010). On August 27, 1587 John White
departed the colony in Roanoke. He didn’t know it at the time, but this would
be the last time anyone ever set on eyes on the colonists that were left behind
at Roanoke.
The Spanish Armada kept White from returning to the colonists.
![Picture](/uploads/9/7/1/7/9717579/837943553.jpg)
The Spanish Armada. English School, 16th Century. Obtained from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Invincible_Armada.jpg
It would be three years before White would be able to return to
the colony due to invasion of the Spanish Armada. His account of the return is
documented in John White’s Narrative of the 1590 Virginia Voyage (Quinn & Quinn, 1973). When John White finally made it back to the place he had left the colonists, he was of good spirits because he could see fire and smoke in the distance. He took this as a sign of life. The men went on with high hopes, singing old English songs in order to
give relief to the colonist and let them know who they were.
…there we espied towards the North end of the Iland ye light of a great
fire thorow the woods, to which we presently rowed: when we came right over
against it, we let fall our Grapnel neere the shore, & sounded with a
trumpet a Call,& afterwards many familiar English tunes of Songs, and called
to them friendly; but we had no answere… and comming to the fire, we found the
grasse& sundry rotten trees burning about the place. (White in Quinn &
Quinn, 1973, p. 125)”
the colony due to invasion of the Spanish Armada. His account of the return is
documented in John White’s Narrative of the 1590 Virginia Voyage (Quinn & Quinn, 1973). When John White finally made it back to the place he had left the colonists, he was of good spirits because he could see fire and smoke in the distance. He took this as a sign of life. The men went on with high hopes, singing old English songs in order to
give relief to the colonist and let them know who they were.
…there we espied towards the North end of the Iland ye light of a great
fire thorow the woods, to which we presently rowed: when we came right over
against it, we let fall our Grapnel neere the shore, & sounded with a
trumpet a Call,& afterwards many familiar English tunes of Songs, and called
to them friendly; but we had no answere… and comming to the fire, we found the
grasse& sundry rotten trees burning about the place. (White in Quinn &
Quinn, 1973, p. 125)”
The men continued when they noticed the fires were not a sign of
life. Along their journey up to the colony they saw footprints of Indians. Once
they arrived to the area they found a carving in a tree. The letters “C R O”
were carved in a tree that was out in the open and easily spotted. Farther into
the colony, they found another tree with the letters “C R O A T O A N” carved
into it. Also, there was no cross carved above the letters, which was to be
their sign if they left under duress. There was no sign of life in the colony.
John White took this as a sign that the colonists were safe with the Croatoans
because when he left this is what they had agreed upon. They were to carve into a tree the place they would relocate to, the place where John White could find them.
…and as we entred up the sandy banke upon a tree, in the very browe
therof were curiously carved these faire Romane letters CRO: which letters
presently we knew to signifie the place, where I should find the planters
seated, according to a secret token agreed upon betweene them & me at my
last departure from them…I willed them, that if they should happen to be
distressed in any of those places that then they should carve over the letters
or name, a Crosse in this forme… but we found no such signe of distresse… we
passed toward the place where they were left in sundry houses… and 5 foote from
the ground in fayre Capitall letters was graven CROATOAN without any crosse or
signe of distresse; this done we entred into the palisado
(White in Quinn & Quinn, 1973, p. 125 - 126).
John White and the men that accompanied him continued into the colony
that was much overgrown with trees and plants. There they found many very heavy
items consisting of lead and iron covered with weeds. John White found his
personal belongings that had been left behind mostly rotten and thrown about.
John White seemed to be happy with the message for he thought his family and
colonists to be safe in Croatoan, especially since this was the place Manteo was
from. The men had planned on going to Croatoan, but because of inclement weather
and a ship that was deteriorating, they had to return to England. The men never
made it over to Croatoan and never confirmed that the colonist were there
(White in Horn, 2010).
Many attempts were made to locate the lost colonists but they were never found.
life. Along their journey up to the colony they saw footprints of Indians. Once
they arrived to the area they found a carving in a tree. The letters “C R O”
were carved in a tree that was out in the open and easily spotted. Farther into
the colony, they found another tree with the letters “C R O A T O A N” carved
into it. Also, there was no cross carved above the letters, which was to be
their sign if they left under duress. There was no sign of life in the colony.
John White took this as a sign that the colonists were safe with the Croatoans
because when he left this is what they had agreed upon. They were to carve into a tree the place they would relocate to, the place where John White could find them.
…and as we entred up the sandy banke upon a tree, in the very browe
therof were curiously carved these faire Romane letters CRO: which letters
presently we knew to signifie the place, where I should find the planters
seated, according to a secret token agreed upon betweene them & me at my
last departure from them…I willed them, that if they should happen to be
distressed in any of those places that then they should carve over the letters
or name, a Crosse in this forme… but we found no such signe of distresse… we
passed toward the place where they were left in sundry houses… and 5 foote from
the ground in fayre Capitall letters was graven CROATOAN without any crosse or
signe of distresse; this done we entred into the palisado
(White in Quinn & Quinn, 1973, p. 125 - 126).
John White and the men that accompanied him continued into the colony
that was much overgrown with trees and plants. There they found many very heavy
items consisting of lead and iron covered with weeds. John White found his
personal belongings that had been left behind mostly rotten and thrown about.
John White seemed to be happy with the message for he thought his family and
colonists to be safe in Croatoan, especially since this was the place Manteo was
from. The men had planned on going to Croatoan, but because of inclement weather
and a ship that was deteriorating, they had to return to England. The men never
made it over to Croatoan and never confirmed that the colonist were there
(White in Horn, 2010).
Many attempts were made to locate the lost colonists but they were never found.