The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-09

the settlers had died of illness or
had been slain by the Indians.
Among those slain, according to
the message, were Virginia Dare
and her father, Ananias Dare.
The Pearces spent several
months in the Chowan river area
searching for a second stone, ex-
istence of which was indicated by
the first. After they had offered
a reward of $500, William Eber-
ardt of Atlanta appeared with 13
carved stones he said he had found
near Greenville, S. c. Other stones
were discovered on the Chattafoo-
chez river near Gainesville and
Atlanta, bringing the total to Z.
People had known about some
OF the stones for years. One of
them had formed part of the foun-
dation of grist mill and later of
barn. They had attracted nc
particular attention until the first
finds got widespread publicity
Some finders said they knew the
stones bore markings but, unfa-
miliar with Elizabethan script,
thought the markings were In
dian writing.
Many of the stones Lore mes
sages from Eleanor Dare to Gov
ernor White. With free transla-
ton of Elizabethan English, they
tell this story:
Father, soon after you went
away, We came hither and have
been beset by misery end war for
two years. The Indians became
angry and murdered all but seven
of u.s."
Apparently this occurred when
the colonists lived on the saluda
river near Greenville. Other stones
told Of the burial of colonists 'mur-
dered by the Indians. The story
goes on:
Father, we go southwestward
with four good Indians. Show
much mercy to Indians on west
side of the hill where Ananias and
Virginia were slain. The accursed
savages on the east side of the
hill killed all but seven of us.
Avenge u.s."
Happier days were ahead, for
the stones tell how the colonisis
settled down preaceably with a
tribe of Indians on the Chattahoo-
chez. Eleanor Dare, however, still
hoped her father would find her.
Stones found in this area say:
Father, it has been five years
since you departed. May G o d
bring you hither. Some of us try
to go out every day to see if there
is any sign of you. We have placed
many clues on the trail"
Later discoveries relate that
Eleanor Dare married the king of
the Indians despite the fact that
"all but the savage king are an
gry,'' that she lived with him for
seven years in cave on the Chat
tahoochee, and that she bore him
daughter she named Agnes.
The last stone was carved by
Griffin Jones, last survivor of the
lost colony. It asks "any English
man to direct Governor White to
the great hill where his daughter
is buried
That is the story the stones tell.
Here is the known history of the
lost colony:
The colony settled on Roanoke
Island, North Carolina, on July
%, 1887. 1t consisted of 1T per-
sons, SO men, II women and II
children. On August 18 Virginia
Dare was born. On August 27
England became en-
Governor White sailed to England.
broiled in war with Spain. Tie
Spanish armada was defeated, but
the war kept Governor White tlom
returning to Roanoke Island until
August 1890.
The colonists had disappeared,
leaving as the only clue to their
the wor d Croatoan
carved on a tree. There nave
been many theories as to tneir
fate: they went to Croatoan, an
island to the south; they were Cap
4red by the Spaniards; they set
led in various sections of North
Carolina and intermarriad with
the Indians. Until the stones be-
gan popping up, there had been
scant proof to back any theory and
the expedition has gone down IN
history as tbs lost colony.
The stones tell complete story
Of the colonists' fate, but m
North Carolinians were suspicious.
Tar Heel editors lambasted the
new theory. One commented acid.
ly that Eleanor Dare must have
died of an occupational disease,
that of stonecutter. /
Sibbald's rorqual is the worlds
largest mammal. It is a whale |