Still Searching

    All of the sailors agreed they did not want to continue searching because of what happened to Spicer and the other men.  They were terrified.  White urged them to keep going--he just had to find the colonists!  It took a lot of talking and persuading but he finally got them to get back on the ship after pulling it out of the water. 

    It was getting darker as they continued on to Roanoke again.  They were at the island now and were right on the shore.  They looked at the edge of trees for any fires and were about to turn the other way when a new fire was suddenly lit.  It was very close to the shore and all of the men became very excited.  They cheered at White's command to listen for an answer.  They sang familiar English songs and one sailor even gave calls on a trumpet.  Still no answer came to their cries.     

    White waited until morning before he went ashore.  He went straight to the area where the fire was that previous night.  There was only a pile of wood where the fire was and ashes.  Someone had lit the fire.  Whoever it was though, was no  longer there.

    White remembed where himself and the colonists were last, with the repaired houses and they made their way over there.  Then they found something astonishing.  There, along the shore were many footprints, not just from one person.  While they were singing and yelling someone had been out on the beach listening to them.  Why no answer?  Along the way still, White found yet another astounding clue.  On a tree were the carvings of CRO.

    White did not know what CRO was.  It wasn't even a word.  He hurriedly went to the area with the houses.  But there were no houses!  The area was completely empty!  Nothing was there.  White was speechless and confused.  How could this happen?  He searched for anything at all.  Maybe a cross that meant danger or any other sign. 

www.granger.com/Pix/AMH/ROA/0061088_T.JPG

    He found none until...he found carved in more wood the word Croatan.  This is where Manteo lived!  These people knew White and they had made a promise to stay friends.  Maybe they had the colonists with them and they had been safe all along.

    There was however a stockade surrounding the area, maybe in order to protect themselves?  Well, anyway, all White knew was that the colonists were probably safe and all he wanted was to find them.

    They had built the wall maybe, to guard themselves from either Spanish or Secotan attacks.  Those never occured as Spain could never find them and even though Lane's men had treated the Secota badly, they did not want to punish innocent people for what Lane had done to them.  The colonists had had a little boat.  It was much to small to cross the Atlantic but perfect for the likes of rivers.  It looked as if they had packed up all of their things and gone somewhere else--probably Croatan.  It looked as if the colonists had done a great job of caring for themselves.  They had not left in a hurry at all it seemed and had taken their time. 

    Maybe they weren't at Croatan anymore.  When White had left they were discussing moving up to Chawanoc country which was about fifty miles from where they were left.

    White was eager to find them.  They went to the little boat that would take them back to the Hopewell.  They all learned over the next few weeks that at that time it was hurricane season at its worst.  It took a long time to get back to the ship and it was tedious work.  While on the ship White asked if they could head to Croatan country.  Captain Cocke, the third of the captains agreed.  Then suddenly, an anchor came loose and fell away from the ship.  Many more followed until only one remained.  It was then cut loose as well and they went into deeper waters.  It was very rough but that wasn't even the hurricane yet.  All at once it hit with great force.  Lightning flashed all around the ship, winds were roaring around them, while at the same time waves crashed against the sides of the ship.   

    At times it seemed to calm a bit and White would beg Cocke to take them to Croatan.  He tried to convince him by saying he could take more plunder if he stayed.  He almost did but he couldn't in the end.

    Oct. 24^th and it was all gone--it was done--over.  They pulled into Plymouth Harbor.  He would not go back again.  He was never heard from again after he wrote a letter to a friend about what he had done.  That was three years after he came back to England however.  After that he never was seen or heard from by anybody.  He disappeared like his colonists.