http://www.coastalguide.com/packet/lostcolony-croatan.shtml

its very long to read but i wanted 2 know what every1 thought about it

http://www.nps.gov/archive/fora/search.htm

Snipped from an earlier discussion of Roanoke:



"The fate of the Roanoke settlers is not really much of a mystery.The chief of the local native Americans, Powhatan (father of Pocahontas) told John Smith that The Roanoke settlers had moved their base to the southern shores of the Chesapeake, where they had lived for over two decades, but three days before the arrival of the Jamestown settlers Powhatan had ordered their massacre (this puts the date of the massacre betwen the 24th and 27th of April 1607). This tale is supported by the large columns of smoke reported by Captain Newport as his ships lay off the coast before landing the Jamestown settlers. It was further proven by Powhatan's showing Smith some of the weaponry captured during the raid, including a bronze mortar. Smith was also told that a small number of the Roanokers had escaped the massacre.An investigation in 1609 by William Strachey pieced together some more of the story. The Roanokers had split into two groups: the smaller made for Croatan Island (and indeed left a message carved into a tree to that effect which was found by John White in 1590), to keep a look out for supply ships, the larger party (of over 100 people) made a new settlement near the friendly Indian village of Skicoac. It was the remains of this party who were massacred by Powhatan.In 1608 search parties were sent out to try to find the survivors of the massacre, and though they failed to find the people they did discover various Christian symbols, and even messages carved into the bark of trees. Four of the survivors reached a village called Pakerikanick, where they were held prisoner by the local chief, Gepanocon. Seven more were said to be alive at Ritanoe, prisoners of Eyanoco. The Indians were apparently keeping the settlers prisoner because of their skill at metal-working, which the Indians lacked.The settlers who had made for Croatan also escaped the massacre, and in 1701 the Surveyor of the Carolinas, John Lawson, made contact with the Indian tribe living there. They had light brown hair, fair skin, and grey eyes - unique amongst the Indians of the area. He was told by the Indian elders that their ancestors had been English, and some of them were even able to read.So, most were massacred by Powhatan's Indians, some escaped by were held captive by other tribes, and presumably died with them, a few interbred with the Indians of Croatan.

Sources: William Strachey, The Historie of the Travaile into Virginia Britannia, 1612; John Lawson, A New Voyage into Carolina, London, 1709; The Virginia Company, A True and Sincere Declaration, London, 1608; John Smith, Correspondence; Giles Milton, Big Chief Elizabeth, London, 2000."

I grew up on Roanoke Island and have always been bombarded with "Lost Colony" theories. There was a lesser-known colony on Roanoke in 1585 who were far from good neighbours: they stole food, killed natives left and right and generally left a foul impression with the Indians, so there was no love for the English when the Lost Colonist arrived.

Another lesser known fact (don't have the source now, but can find it if anyone wants) is that a group of friendly Hatterask indians from south of the Lost Colony were bringing food to the colonists, gotten mistaken for hostiles, and were massacred a few days before John White left to return to England.

Also given the fact that it would be difficult to grow any crops there, and the Spanish were busily hunting down any foriegn powers they saw in America at the time, it's not too surprising they disappeared.


-- Jaylemurph

How interesting. I saw the Supernatural episode yesterday which mentioned something about Roanoke.

i was just about to say that