The Coolidge examiner., 1934-05-25

Washington. u. C.-WSU Service.
n HODERN engineers have
Nj thrust Virginia Dare trail
- ~ down the islands Off the
North Carolina coast and built the
Wright memorial bridge across Cur
rituck sound. bringing the islands
into touch with the modern world,
yet the visitor still finds In Roam
oke island the speech and customs
common In the days of Sir Walter Ra-
leigh whose followers established
there the first English settlement In
America.
From the skipper OF the small mail
boat that plies between the Islands
one may supplement his limited
knowledge OF this region supplied
by obsolete descriptions and by
copies of the original letters and
maps left by Sir Walter Ralelgh's
adventures. He learns that Roam
oke island perfectly exempllfes the
adage that byways OF isolation
pocket the choicest realities OF life
Here Is a genuine, inbred dignity,
expressive OF a mild-mannered. hos
pitable folk. The islanders are
proud OF their physique, speech,
manners and customs, historic sur
vivals OF old English Devon.
The ubiquitous automobile did not
reach Roanoke island until less
than a decade ago. For land trans
portation there were up 10 that
time only two-wheeled carts and the
sand ponies and occasional oxcarts.
Even the little sand ponies tradl-
ton went back to castaway vessels.
TO the Portuguese and TO Sir Wal
ter Ralelgh's voyagers.
On Ralelgh's attempts to COLOMBIA
tion hinged momentous results In
the New world. The Lost Col
onles," though they began and end
ed Sir Walters ventures upon the
North Carolina Sea islands, were
the first Engllsh-speaklng settle
ments In America.
Discovered In 1884.
In 1854 the adventurer obtained
a patent from Queen Elizabeth,
whose favors his genius readily
commanded, and dispatched to the
New world the first OF his expedi-
tions. The little band. under ANA
das and Barlowe, sailed through an
Inlet on July 4, 1884. to discover
Roanoke island-a spot so favored
In climate and setting and so rich
In fruits. game. and bird life that
II seemed to them a veritable para
disc.
Back to England they sailed to
describe 1t, taking with them two
friendly Indian chiefs; and also to
bacco, sassafras, maize, pumpkins,
squash, grapes. and other fruits.
Their story created excitement, and
in the following year Raleigh sent
out Sir Richard Grenville with
second colony. numbering 108 souls,
determined 10 make a permanent
home on Roanoke island and estab-
llsh plantations.
They landed on August II, 1855,
and built log fortification, to
which they gave the name THE
New Fort In Virginia." also spoken
OF as Fort Raleigh" However.
they could not live at peace with
the Indians. and the entire colony
sailed back with Sir Francis Drake
In 1856, just two weeks before the
arrival Of reinforcements. Finding
the fort deserted, the new group
also returned TO England, but left
10 men on the island.
A third expedition. sent out by
Raleigh In 1887, found the fort de-
molished and no trace of the Is men
except the bones of one slain by
the savages. The gruesome discov-
cry was a shock to the homeseek-
ers, and they willingly followed the
advice Of their leader, John White,
to forestall future hostility by max
ing friends of the Indians. The plan
succeeded admirably. Manteo, one
Of the friendly chiefs, was even bap-
tized and given a title of nobility
as Lord Of Roanoke-the first Eng
lish peerage In America.
Virginia Dare's Birth.
On August Is, 1887. FIVE days aft
er the baptism of the Indian, was
born John Whites granddaughter,
Virginia Dare, the first English ma
tive of America. She was baptized
on the following Sunday. Thus was
Elizabethan civilization anchored
here by baby, mother and the
American family.
Around little Virginia Dare re-
mained more than a hundred men,
women and children. They were
left alone for three years. Then
John White, who had gone back to
England after establishing the col
ony, returned-to find that they had
disappeared,