| The island of Roanoke in North Carolina holds the | | | | the inhabitants had gone; the word "Croatoan" - |
| secret to the baffling disappearance of a band of | | | | the name of the friendly tribe that lived on the |
| English settlers in the late sixteenth century. The | | | | south of the island - was carved in a tree. |
| early colony simply vanished without trace, and | | | | However, despite White spending the rest of his |
| their fate has intrigued and baffled historians ever | | | | life searching, no trace of the colonists was ever |
| since. | | | | found. |
| The story starts in 1587, with the second | | | | Theories by historians include that they may have |
| attempt to establish a British colony on Roanoke | | | | been killed by the local Croatoan tribe, or that, |
| Island. Two years earlier, English explorer Sir | | | | tired of waiting for supplies and feeling abandoned, |
| Walter Raleigh made an unsuccessful bid to | | | | they moved inland and married into other Native |
| establish a settlement on the Island, sponsoring an | | | | American tribes. Another supposition is that they |
| all-male colony which initially integrated well with | | | | were murdered by Spanish troops on a northern |
| the Native Americans already living there. | | | | sojourn from Florida. Their fate may never be |
| However, the harmony didn't last as the brusque | | | | known and any evidence that may have supplied |
| manner of colony commander Sir Ralph Lane | | | | clues is now long gone. The site of their |
| soon angered the local tribe. To compound the | | | | inhabitation was soon overgrown by vegetation |
| colony's problems, supply ships failed to show | | | | and has now been lost even to the point where |
| leaving them hungry and disillusioned, so when | | | | historians still debate the original location. |
| Raleigh dropped in on the colonists in 1586 after a | | | | Some argue that the doomed settlement is now |
| trip to the West Indies, they elected to join him | | | | under water some half a mile out to sea, as the |
| on the voyage home to Britain. But, because the | | | | coastline has shifted significantly since the |
| New World offered such potential profits, the | | | | sixteenth century. With the location of the |
| English tried again in August 1587, and it is the | | | | settlement unknown, it is impossible to dig for |
| settlement that was established by 115 men, | | | | clues. Many people have travelled to the region |
| women and children that is the subject of the | | | | hoping to find some trace of the colony, and if |
| Roanoke colony mystery. | | | | you fancy joining their ranks, make sure that you |
| Very soon after setting up the colony its | | | | locate a hotel in Roanoke near the north of the |
| governor - artist John White - returned to England | | | | Island, where the settlement allegedly stood. Who |
| with the intention of immediately returning with | | | | knows? You might be the one who finally unlocks |
| much needed supplies. However, due to the war | | | | the secret to the ill-fated Roanoke colony. Adam |
| with Spain he was prevented from setting sail for | | | | Singleton is an online, freelance journalist and keen |
| three years. When he finally arrived back at | | | | amateur photographer from Scotland. His |
| Roanoke in August 1590 he came across a totally | | | | interests include travelling and hiking. |
| deserted colony, with only one clue as to where | | | | |