While Cavendish was preying on Spanish treasure in America, and Drake was ‘singeing the King of Spain’s beard’ in Europe, Raleigh still pursued his colonizing plans.  In 1587 John White and twelve associates received incorporation as the ’Governor and Assistants of the City of Ralegh in Virginia.’  The fortunes of this ambitious city were not unlike those of many another ‘boomed’ and ‘busted’ city of much more recent date.  No time was lost in beginning.  Three ships arrived at Roanoke on the 22nd of July, 1587.  Every effort was made to find the fifteen men left behind the year before by Grenville to hold possession for the Queen.  Mounds of earth, which may even now be traced, so piously have their last remains been cared for, marked the site of the fort.  From natives of Croatoan Island the newcomers learned that Grenville’s men had been murdered by hostile Indians.

One native friend was found in Manteo, a chief whom Barlow had taken to England and Grenville had brought back.  Manteo was now living with his own tribe of sea-coast Indians on Croatoan Island.  But the mischief between red and white had been begun; and though Manteo had been baptized and was recognized as ‘The Lord of Roanoke’ the races were becoming fatally estranged.

After a month Governor White went home for more men and supplies, leaving most of the colonists at Roanoke.  He found Elizabeth, Raleigh, and the rest all working to meet the Great Armada.  Yet, even during the following year, the momentous year of 1588, Raleigh managed to spare two pinnaces, with fifteen colonists aboard, well provided with all that was most needed.  A Spanish squadron, however, forced both pinnaces to run back for their lives.  After this frustrated attempt two more years passed before White could again sail for Virginia.  In August, 1590, his trumpeter sounded all the old familiar English calls as he approached the little fort.  No answer came.  The colony was lost for ever.  White had arranged that if the colonists should be obliged to move away they should carve the name of the new settlement on the fort or surrounding trees, and that if there was either danger or distress they should cut a cross above.  The one word CROATOAN was all White ever found.  There was no cross.  White’s beloved colony, White’s favorite daughter and her little girl, were perhaps in hiding.  But supplies were running short.  White was a mere passenger on board the ship that brought him; and the crew were getting impatient, so impatient for refreshment’ and a Spanish prize that they sailed past Croatoan, refusing to stop a single hour.

Perhaps White learnt more than is recorded and was satisfied that all the colonists were dead.  Perhaps not.  Nobody knows.  Only a wandering tradition comes out of that impenetrable mystery and circles round the not impossible romance of young Virginia Dare.  Her father was one of White’s twelve ‘Assistants.’  Her mother, Eleanor, was White’s daughter.  Virginia herself,