Primary Sources: John White Searches

for the Lost Colonists of Roanoke

By Original document from the public domain, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.17.16
Word Count 880

TOP: This illustration depicts John White nding a tree onto which is carved the word "Croatoan" on Roanoke Island,
North Carolina, 1590; Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images. BOTTOM: Map of Virginia and coast with small islands and
Roanoke at mouth of river, from a watercolor by John White; Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Editor's Note: The Roanoke Colony was founded in 1587 off the coast of present-day North
Carolina on Roanoke Island. Its governor, John White, left the colony soon after its
founding to return to England for supplies. He was delayed in England by the Anglo-
Spanish War. When White returned to Roanoke in 1590, the colonists had disappeared,
including his daughter and granddaughter. The only clue to their whereabouts was the

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word "Croatoan," the name of a local Native American tribe, which had been carved onto a
tree. The following story is a portion of his report from the voyage. White describes an
unsuccessful search for the lost colonists.

"The Next Sea Forced Some Men To Let Go"

On the morning of the 17th of August, our boats and company were prepared again to go
up to Roanoke. The Admiral's boat rst passed the rise of the water, and the sea broke into
our boat, lling us half full. We came safely ashore, but our furniture, food, match and
powder were much wet and spoiled. The wind blew at a great gale, the sea broke
extremely on the bar, and the tide went very forcibly.

Captain Spicer came to the rise of the water, and a dangerous sea overset the boat. Some
men kept in the boat, and some hung onto it, but the next sea forced some men to let go.
The sea beat them down, so that they could neither stand nor swim, and the boat twice or
thrice was turned on its side. Captain Spicer hung on until he sunk, and was seen no more.
Four that could swim a little were saved by Captain Cooke, who rowed to them with much
haste. There were 11 in all, and seven of the chiefest were drowned.

The sailors were so much discomforted that they were all of one mind not to go any further
to seek the planters. But by the commandment and persuasion of me and Captain Cooke,
they prepared the boats.

"We Found The Grass And Rotten Trees Burning About The Place"

It was so dark that we overshot the place where our planters were left by a quarter of a
mile. We looked toward the north end of the island and saw the light of a great re through
the woods, to which we rowed. When we came to it, we let fall our anchor and sounded a
trumpet call, but we had no answer. We landed at daybreak, and coming to the re, we
found the grass and rotten trees burning about the place.

From there, we went to the place where I left our colony in the year 1586. We saw in the
sand the print of the savages feet of two or three sorts. As we entered up the sandy bank,
upon a tree were carved the letters "CRO." These letters we knew to reveal the place where
I should nd the planters, according to a secret token we agreed upon at my departure. At
that time, the planters were prepared to remove from Roanoke to the mainland. They
agreed to write or carve on trees or doorposts the name of the place where they moved. If
they should be distressed in any of those places, they were to carve a cross over the
letters, but we found no such sign.

"The Word 'CROATOAN' Was Graven On A Tree"

We passed toward the place where they were left in various houses, but we found the
houses taken down. The place was very fort-like, enclosed with a high fence of great trees,
with curtain walls and structures. At the entrance, the word "CROATOAN" was graven on a

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tree without any cross or sign of distress. Inside the fence were many iron bars, two pigs of
lead, four iron fowlers and iron ammunition overgrown with grass and weeds. From thence
we went toward the creek but found no sign of their boats. Upon our return, sailors told us
they had found divers chests long since dug up. The contents were spoiled and scattered.

"This Could Only Be The Deed Of The Savages"

I found ve chests, three of which were mine, many of my possessions spoiled. This could
only be the deed of the savages, our enemies, at Dasamongwepeuk. They watched our
men depart to Croatoan, and as soon as they were gone, dug up our chests. It grieved me
to see my goods spoiled, yet I greatly joyed that I had found a certain token of the planters
being safe at Croatoan. The savages of Croatoan are our friends.

"The Night Proved Very Stormy And Foul"

When we had seen so much as we could, we returned to our ships with much speed. The
night proved very stormy and foul. The next morning it was agreed by the captain and
myself to go for Croatoan, where our planters were. But when we drew the anchor, the
cable broke. We drove so fast into the shore that we were forced to let fall a third anchor.
We thus had but one cable and anchor left, and the weather grew fouler. Our food was
scarce and our fresh water lost, so we determined to go for Saint John or another island to
the south for fresh water.

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