The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-11-07

- At&1
LOOK al the map. The Indian village
on Nags Head is just four miles from
Old Fort Raleigh.
Nhy did the lost colonists find il
necessary 10 go to Croatan? The In
uiahs who lived nearest the ~colonists,
those led by Wingina and Wanchese'
mad become unfriendly even before
the return of Lanes colony TO Eng
iand- If these were the nearest In
olans, they must have lived on Roam
oke Island itself, for an Indian viii
iage is indicated by White on this
map; While ii is stated that Governor
Lane and twenty-five men rowed
over to the village and shot down
Wlnslna and his principal chiefs
thereby putting an end to the first
satnerlng or the savages. But the
savages bided their time. Still led by
Wanchese they set upon the fifteen
men left by Sir Richard Grenville to
hoIo The country. and only the
bones OF these men We're found by
the colony under White. When
Whites colony had been settled for
several months. the Governor was
persuaded against his will to return
to England for supplies. Conditions
in that country delayed his return for
three years. In that time what mad
happened to he %colonists? Their
hearts and eyes, co., were aching
from vainly watching the sea. The
Indians under Wanchese were threat
ening them. Manteo and the friendly
Croatans offered protection, and an
opportunity to watch for the return
Of the ships. h Croatans were tent
ed in a pleasant woods, OF the shores
Of fresh water-a goodly place. Did
they go? The dinner service Of civ
iliZed people has been found mingled
with the clay pottery Of the avage
1T was not until August Is, 1890.
that Governor White again reached
! p n nNEo leland Inry 1so Hna- ~-,,c
have throbbed with dread and hope
as at daybreak on the 18th he land
ed at Roanoke Island. All the night
before, his boatmen, with many a
lusty call and with a trumpeter
sounding English airs, had rowed
from the dark forests. At some time
in these long, long months, Wanchese
had stirred up the tribes Of the back
country to Join with his indian in
an attack on the English and their
allies.
The forest conflagration, which can
still be traced in the sands Of the
hill t~estifies to the struggle which
took place, the slaughter of English
and Croatans, the firing of the village
| which spread to the trees. 1t is a sig
nificant fact that Lawson, first histo-
rian of North Carolina, h makes a
record Of the coastal tribes Of Indians
carly AA A4AS III -
| Croatan Indians.
Is not the conclusion almost newt
able that the Croatan of the %colonistS
is Mays Head today; that the coloniStS
went there and built homes with the
Indians, on the side of the wooded
hill, by the shore Of fresh water; that
there by the sea died the Lost Colony
in a last brave stand against the red
/ skin hordes? Buried here in the sands
may be the bones Of the first white
child born in America. Bones have
indeed been found at this spot. but IN
could not positively be identified as
huban. The sand-hin has moved
completely over the villages, and the
pond has filled in until its closest
| shore is a half mile to the north. New
evidence is being foundf from time to
time; and no one can predict what
| the winds may yet add to this story.
Valid Objections.
Many of the statements / have
made are to be credited to DR.. Hath
! away, who has interested himself act
| lively in the investigation. He it was
| ger and the harpoon, and called my
| attention to some Of the historical
matter bearing on the Lost Colony.
Several pertinent objections are to
be brought against he conclusion
which has been stated. h most Sc
rious Of these is the historical state
| ment that when Governor White
found the colonists gone to Croatan
| he returned at once to his ships with
the intention OF going after them,
but had to give up the attempt be-
| cause he was on a dangerous coast
at a very stormy season. The first
map OF North Carolina bears out this
suggestion of a long journey, by To-
eating ''Croatan" about fifty miles be-
low Hatteras.
Admittedly some of the most OBJ
| vious steps towards determining the
truth of the matter, as comparing the
| pieces of china with the specimens
| said to be in the State Museum and
with patterns known to be Of the
| period in question, as we'll as the more
laborious problem Of tracing out the
clue held in the name found on one
of the pieces have been neglected.