The mysterious lost colony of Roanoke
In 1587, an English expedition set out to colonise Roanoke Island on the eastern coast of North America…only for the colonists to vanish without trace. What happened?
Image: An engraving that depicts John White returning to the Roanoke Colony in 1590 to discover the settlement abandoned | Public Domain
In the late 16th century, Sir Walter Raleigh attempted to establish a colony in present-day North Virginia at the behest of Queen Elizabeth I. After several failed attempts to do so, a group of settlers were put in place in 1587.
Later that same year, the leader of the expedition, John Smith, sailed back to England to petition Raleigh to send more manpower and supplies. On his return three years later, he found the colony of Roanoke completely abandoned.
Although several theories have been proposed as to what happened to the Roanoke settlers, it remains one of the most mysterious disappearances in history to this very day. Perhaps we may never know the full story, but famed outdoorsman Steven Rinella will be investigating the mystery in his upcoming Sky HISTORY series Hunting History, which starts Wednesday, 21st May at 10pm.
False starts
Queen Elizabeth I wished to establish a colony on the eastern coast of North America for several reasons. Firstly, it could potentially open up trade of the lucrative resources found in these territories. Secondly, it could expand British dominions. And thirdly, it could provide a safe haven for English privateers to attack Spanish ships in the area.
With that in mind, in 1578 she granted Raleigh and his half-brother Sir Humphrey Gilbert a six-year remit to explore the region and plant colonies in it. After several aborted missions, during which Gilbert was lost at sea, an exploration party finally landed on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 1584.
This party would return with two high-ranking Algonquin-speaking Indians who would converse with Raleigh and explain their ways and customs. The same year, Parliament formally approved a bill written by Raleigh to colonise North America.
Gaining a foothold
In 1585, five ships and two smaller vessels set sail with some 600 men aboard, including the pirate Simon Fernandes, the painter John White and Sir Richard Grenville, cousin of Raleigh. Raleigh himself stayed at home once more.
The expedition initiated friendly relations with the local populace and was granted permission to set up a colony on the north of Roanoke Island. However, the outbreak of disease, alongside a serious of misunderstandings and acts of brutality, led to strained relations between settlers and natives. The colony was eventually abandoned in 1586.
The very next year proved to be significant for both Queen Elizabeth and for Raleigh. The former finally beheaded her cousin Mary Queen of Scots, while the latter sent one last expedition to colonise Chesapeake Bay. Headed by governor John White, the expedition was persuaded to change their plans and once again settle on Roanoke Island.
Gone without a trace
The exact number of White’s party is disputed, but is believed to be in the region of 115 men, women and children. Among them were White’s daughter Elinor White Dare, who would give birth to the first child (Virginia Dare) of English parents in North America in August of the same year.
Less than 10 days after the birth, John White was sent back to England with Fernandes at the behest of the colonisers. He was tasked with updating Raleigh on their progress and securing more support, both in terms of manpower and resources. He reluctantly acquiesced to the petition and left behind his daughter and granddaughter, never to see either ever again.
Harrying and harassment by the Spanish Armada meant that White’s return to Roanoke Island was delayed by three years. When he finally came back in 1590, he found everyone gone. The only trace of the colony was a single message scratched into a tree – 'CROATOAN'.
A plethora of theories
Inclement weather and the impatience of the ship transporting White prevented him from investigating further at the time, laying the foundations for an eerie enigma to rival that of the Mary Celeste or the Nazca Lines. In the intervening centuries, several theories have been put forward.
Some argue that the colonists were wiped out by the native population. This theory gained particular popularity in 1937, when a man named Louis Hammond claimed to have discovered a large rock (known as the Dare Stone) carved with a message relating the slaughter of the colonists by the natives. Several other stones then emerged, and though scientific opinion has largely discredited their authenticity, some people still believe that Hammond’s original is genuine.
Others posit that the Roanoke colony was destroyed by the Spanish, since they were known to have done the same to two French colonies and were openly in search of Roanoke. However, the fact that they were still looking for it in 1600 indicates they could not have exterminated the settlers before White’s return in 1590.
The likeliest explanation
As ever, the most likely explanation is probably the correct one. The clue found on the tree post – CROATOAN – almost certainly relates to the nearby Croatoan Island, which was populated by a tribe known to be friendly to the settlers.
Indeed, White even asked the settlers to leave behind exactly this kind of missive if they decided to move on. If they were under duress, they were instructed to leave a cross above the message. No such cross was recorded, indicating the party likely moved there of their own account and subsequently integrated with the local population.
Despite the probability of this theory, excavations on Croatoan Island (now known as Hatteras Island) were not carried out until 2009. Unsurprisingly, they uncovered significant evidence of the colonisers’ presence, including jewellery, weapons and writing materials consistent with the time period. Case closed? Perhaps, but there will always be those who prefer a grislier and more fanciful version of events.
Want more stories like this? Subscribe to the Sky HISTORY newsletter! Packed full of history’s most interesting stories, exclusive content and news from Sky HISTORY, it’s the newsletter for you if you love history as much as we do.
