Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, North CarolinaPorter, Charles W., III (Charles Wesley)
History
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, North Carolina
Porter, Charles W., III (Charles Wesley)
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (N.C.); Roanoke Colony; Roanoke Island (N.C.) -- History
From the fort and settlement area, White proceeded again along the shore
southward to the “point of the creek” (i. e., the point of Shallow Bag
Bay or, as it was called in 1716, “Town Creek”), which had been
fortified with “Falkons and small Ordinance” and where the small boats
of the colony were habitually kept, but could find no sign of any of
these things. Then, on returning to the fort and settlement area, White
searched for certain chests and personal effects which he had secretly
buried in 1587. The Indians had discovered the hiding place, had rifled
the chests, torn the covers off the books, and left the pictures and
maps to be spoiled by rain. Considering that Gov. John White was
probably John White the artist and illustrator of the expedition of
1585-86, one can imagine his feelings on seeing his maps and pictures
irretrievably ruined. However, according to his own words he was cheered
at the thought that, as indicated by the word CROATOAN on the palisade
post, “a certaine token,” his daughter, granddaughter Virginia Dare, and
the colonists would be found at Croatoan Island, where Manteo was born
and where the Indians had been friendly to the English.
As stormy weather was brewing, White and his little group returned in
haste to the harbor where their ships were at anchor. Next day they
agreed to go to Croatoan Island to look for the colonists but the
weather would not permit. They planned to go to the West Indies instead,
where they would have taken on fresh water and ultimately have returned
to Croatoan. However, the elements willed otherwise and they were blown
toward the Azores. From Flores in this group, they made their way to
England.
Governor White could not finance another expedition to America himself,
and Raleigh, although enjoying a large income at times, spent lavishly.
Some of the money and energy that might have gone into the Virginian
enterprise, Raleigh expended, during 1587-1602, in colonizing estates
which he had received in Ireland. The Virginian enterprise would have
required a prince’s purse, but Raleigh was not a prince. Walsingham died
in 1590, a blow to Raleigh. In July 1592, Raleigh was disgraced and
imprisoned for marrying Elizabeth Throckmorton without the Queen’s
knowledge or consent. White, therefore, accepted the facts with
resignation. His last recorded words, dated February 4, 1593, are: “And
wanting my wishes, I leave off from prosecuting that whereunto I would
to God my wealth were answerable to my will.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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