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