The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-10

the part of the island where the colony
had been planted. In the darkness
they paced the place a quarter of a
mile. Through the woods they saw the
light of a great fire, and ran their boats
up to the shore as near as possible.
Letting fall the grapnel they sounded
calls with the trumpet and sang famil-
lar English songs to attract the atten-
ton of the ~colonists. Surely they must
be there, but no sound came from them.
At daybreak they landed and went
to the fire. Nothing was there except
some grass and rotten trees burning
about the place. No signs of white
people could be seen. This was disap-
pointment number two.
From that place Governor White and
his company went through the woods
to that part of the island opposite
Dasamonguepeuk, now Tyrrel county.
Finding no trace Of them there, they
continued the journey round the north
end of the island, following the shore
line, until they came to the place where
the colony Yves left three years before.
All along the way they saw the prints of
the savages' feet but no trace of Eng
lishmen. Let Governor White speak:
las we entered upon the sandy bank.
upon a tree, in the very brow thereof
were curiously carved these fair Roman
letters, G. r. o., which letters present
ly we knew to signify the place, where
/ should find the planters seated, ac-
cording to a secret token agreed upon
between them and me at my last de-
parture from them; which was, that in
any way they should not fail to write
or carve on the trees or posts of the
doors the name of the place where they
should be seated; for at my coming
away they were prepared to remove
from Roanoke fifty miles into the
main"
Advancing toward the place Of settle
ment, they found the houses pulled
down and a palisade built Of great
trees, with curtains and flankers, very
fort-like." One of the trees Or posts
at the right side of the entrance had
the bark taken Off, and five feet from
the ground, in fair capital letters, wa
craven Croatan, without any cross or
sign of distress" Governor White
took this to mean that they had chang
ed their mind about removing to the
mainland, and had gone to the island
of Croatan instead.
Going into the fort White found
many bars of iron, two pigs of lead,
and many other things almost over
grown with weeds. Outside he found
where his chests Of books, maps, and
other things had been buried and dug
up again, land about the place many of
my things spoiled and broken" "and
my books torn from the covers, the
frames of some of my pictures and
maps rotten and spoiled with rain, and
my armor almost eaten through with
rust" He naturally concluded that the
settlers had buried those things, before
they left, for safe keeping; and that
the Indians came afterwards and rifled
them.
Though the governor was much dis
appointed in not finding the colonists on
the island of Roanoke, yet he was much
rejoiced to know that they had gone to
ICroatan, and were not in distress; fol
| no cross, which was the sign of distress
| agreed upon was to be found anywhere
Rejoicing in the hope that the settlers
would be found at the island of Croa-
tan, Governor White and his compan-
ions fastened aboard the ships intend.
ing next day to run down to the island
and find the colonists. This island was
| the home of Manteo and the Indians
there were friendly to the whites.
But even in this, disappointment wa.
the sure return; for a gale sprang III
during the night and by morning thu
sea vas running high. When the an
| chors were lifted and sails adjusted fol
the trip to Croatan, the wind blew with
such violence that the vessels were il
! great danger of being beached. The.
had, therefore, to put out to sea to save
themselves from shipwreck.
Several days the storm continued
| and, in the meantime, provisions raj
short. 1t was then decided to rul
I down to Trinidad for supplies, and t.
return when on the homeward journe.
to England next spring. White was n
party in this consultation, or we nigh
be surprised at the decision. He was
nominally, a passenger on board, an
had no voice in determining their &C
ton, provided they did not depar
from the object Of the expedition
which was the finding of the settlers,
SoLAC Ooyo o1ICi luCl
course southwark the storm continued
and blew the boats out of their course
so that when the wind ceased the,
were nearer the Azores than the We
Indies. Running in there, they stoppe'
for a few days; and while there circum
stances so came about that they sailet
for England, reaching Plymouth tn
24th of October 1890, leaving the colo
nists to their fate.
At this point Governor White close
his narrative. The ordinary reade
might be surprised at his giving up thu
search, when the lost ~colonists hal
among their number a daughter and
grand daughter besides others tina
were near and dear to him. The clos
ing words of his letter to Richart
Hakluyt, written in tears, shows tn
burden that rested on the old man
heart. Here they are:
"And, wanting my wishes, I leave OF
from prosecuting that whereunto
would to God my wealth were answer
able TO my will. Thus, committing tn