America; but he was now at the hight of his prosperity, and seemed never to despair of the final success of this his favorite project.  The following year, 1587, a new expedition was fitted out under the charge of John White, as Governor, with twelve assistants.  They were to found the city of Raleigh, in Virginia.  This fleet of three ships left Plymouth on the fifth of May, and after making a short stay at the West-India Islands, sailed for our coast, reaching it on the sixteenth of July.  They a second time barely escaped a wreck on Cape Fear shoals, but anchored safely at Hatorask, on the twenty-seventh of the same month.  They had been directed by Raleigh to visit Roanoke, and then proceed to the Chesapeake and there land the colony which they had transported.  The Governor and party landed on Roanoke Island, and proceeded to the place (probably on the side next the sea) where Sir Richard Grenville left fifteen men the year previous.  They found, however, only the skeleton of one, who with his companions had probably been slain by the savages.  The next day they repaired to the south end of the island, where Lane had built his fort and houses.  No human being was to be seen, and thus the fate of the fifteen was confirmed.

The commander of this fleet was Simeon Fernando, a prominent officer in the two previous expeditions, who no doubt had given satisfaction to Lane, for his name was given to the fort at Roanoke.  But the chronicles, in this instance, have charged him with treachery, he having refused to proceed to the Chesapeake.  In consequence of this refusal, the colony remained here, occupying the buildings erected by Lane.  The Indians soon gave proof of hostility by attacking and murdering one of the assistants.  Master Stafford, who had previously been with Lane, accompanied by the Indian Manteo, (who came with them from England,) with twenty others, passed over to the mainland, and renewed their former intercourse with the Indians.  The natives claimed to be friendly, and related how the fifteen were murdered by the tribe that once inhabited Roanoke.  This party again visited the mainland on the ninth of August, and falling in with a party of natives, whom they supposed to be hostile, attacked and killed a number, but subsequently learned that they were of a friendly tribe.  On the thirteenth of August Manteo was christened and announced as Lord of Roanoke, in reward for his faithful service.  How far he understood the meaning or value of the rite, we are unable to state; but the tendency of the act to influence the natives to regard the Europeans with more favor, can be readily implied.