Through the efforts of John Cabot who explored the coast of North America in 1497, according to a patent granted to him by King Henry VII, England had a substantial claim to New World territory. Attempts at founding an English colony in America, however, were not made until 1583 when Sir Humphrey Gilbert received permission from Queen Elizabeth to settle a colony in the area now known as Newfoundland. This attempt was unsuccessful and Sir Humphrey Gilbert and his colleagues drowned during a storm at sea on their return voyage. Nevertheless, Gilbert had selected a site for a colony and had claimed the island for England. The proprietary patent which Gilbert had received from Queen Elizabeth was renewed and passed to his half-brother, Sir Walter Raleigh. In 1584, the name "Virginia" was given to the area of land claimed by John Cabot, an area extending from Roanoke Island 600 miles in an arc formation. Some historians state that Raleigh himself named the area "Virginia" in honor of Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen, while others indicate that Queen Elizabeth herself named it in her own honor. From 1584 to 1591, Raleigh made numerous attempts with the use of his personal fortune to establish an English colony on Roanoke Island--located off what is now known as the North Carolina coast--but his efforts were futile and the so-called "Lost Colony" resulted. In 1587, after Raleigh's second group of colonists had arrived at Roanoke Island (the first group having returned to England after unsurmountable difficulties had beset them), they established a settlement there. This was the settlement where the first child of English parents was born in America. Her name was Virginia Dare (named in honor of her birthplace) and she was the granddaughter of John White, Governor of the settlement. When the colonists' provisions became low, Governor White returned to England for additional ones. Four years passed before he returned to the settlement because of the War between England and Spain, and upon his return, he found no settlers on the island. Various areas and locations were searched in vain and only one possible clue was ever found: the letters, "CROATAN," carved on a tree. These letters spelled the name of an island which had been inhabited by friendly Indians of the same name. Thus, the "Lost Colony" remains an historical mystery which has never been solved.