White made detailed drawings of the 

 Indian villages. And together they 

 drew the first map of North America, 

 depicting the area between the Neuse 

 River and the James River and inland 

 to the head of the Albemarle Sound. 



Unfortunately, much of their work 

 was lost as they were leaving to return 

 to England. Some of White's drawings 

 survived to be displayed in the British 

 Library in London. And Harriot wrote 

 A briefe and true report of the new 

 found land of Virginia, published in 

 1588 as the first English book about 

 North America. 



By the spring of 1586, Lane's sup- 

 plies were scarce. No relief vessel had 

 arrived from England. The soldiers 

 had not bothered to plant fall crops, 

 planning instead to depend on trade 

 with the Indians for their food. But the 

 English items of trade no longer 

 presented an allure for the Indians. 

 And, the Indians did not have enough 

 food stored to regularly feed a colony 

 of 100 men. 



June 1586 — Drake transports 

 Lane colony back to England 



Relations with the Indians soured. 

 While Manteo remained a friend to the 

 colonists, Wanchese turned foe. It is 

 believed that he may have incited 

 Wingina, king of the Roanoke Indians, 

 to plan an attack on the English. Lane 

 learned of the plot. After entering the 

 Indian village under false pretense, 

 Lane killed Wingina. 



In June of 1586, Sir Frances Drake 

 stopped at Port Ferdinando with sup- 

 plies, equipment and men for the 

 colony. Drake offered Lane a small 

 ship to explore the Chesapeake for a 

 better place of settlement. But a 

 hurricane struck, sending many of 



Drake's smaller vessels to a watery 

 grave and others fleeing to England. 

 After the storm passed, Drake had lit- 

 tle to offer Lane except passage for the 

 colonists back to England. Lane accep- 

 ted the offer. 



Many historians believe that Lane 

 left behind three or four men who were 

 exploring the Chowan River when the 



Elizabeth I provided limited funds 

 for Raleigh 's voyages 



colonists departed. These men may 

 have been the first "lost colony." 



Just two weeks after the Lane 

 colony departed with Drake, Grenville 

 arrived with supplies. Finding the 

 colony site deserted, Grenville placed 

 15 to 18 men at the fort and returned 

 to England. 



Although Raleigh was discouraged 

 by the return of his first colony, he 



wasted no time in collecting a third ex- 

 pedition. The 1587 colony included 

 women and children, and its pursuits 

 were to be more agricultural than 

 military. The colonists financed much 

 of this expedition, probably in return 

 for 500 acres they were each promised 

 in the document that incorporated the 

 "cittie of Ralegh in Virginia" under 

 Raleigh's trust. John White was ap- 

 pointed governor. 



July 1587 — White colony forced 

 to make Roanoke Island its 

 home 



The destination of this colony was to 

 be Chesapeake Bay and what we today 

 consider as Virginia. White did plan to 

 stop at Roanoke Island to pick up the 

 men left by Grenville. When White 

 and 40 of his men disembarked to 

 search for the Grenville party, Fer- 

 dinando, now in command of the 

 vessels, told his sailors not to bring 

 back any of the colonists except White. 

 It seems Ferdinando had plans for 

 waylaying several Spanish ships 

 traveling in his return path. 



Thus the third expedition was forced 

 to make Roanoke Island its home. Of 

 the fifteen men left by Grenville, only 

 the skeleton of one man was found — 

 thus a second lost colony arises. 



The fort had been leveled and the 

 houses abandoned. White immediately 

 had the colonists restore the fort and 

 repair the houses. 



In a month's time, White returned 

 to England for supplies. With his 

 departure came the beginning of a 

 mystery that has intrigued 

 archaeologists and historians for 

 years — the 1587 colony that was lost, 

 but never found (see story, page 7). 



—By Kathy Hart 



