Lane's Disastrous Plan

    The next morning, they headed up the coast and met more people in the town of Aquascogoc.  There was very much corn there.  White drew the corn as the plant was not yet known in England.

    Suddenly Grenville decided to go home to England because sea water had gotten into his ship's cargo and ruined almost all of the English's food supply.  They couldn't build the fort if they had no food to last them that long.

    Then something very strange happened.  Ralph Lane offered to stay behind and build the fort anyway with as many soldiers as those who would follow him.  After a lot of arguing, Lane finally got his wish and went to Roanoke with 107 other men.  Grenville gave them all the meat and bread he could allow to give.  The amount would not last the group no more than 20 days.  There was no way that Grenvlle could return with more before spring.  Lane, however was positive that the Secotan would feed them all.  That however, was not the only reason Lane wanted to stay behind--Lane was also sure that all of the copper the Secota people wore had some trace of gold in it.  Lane's greedy plan would only bring disaster to the Secotan.