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The Roanoke Colony was an enterprise financed and organized by Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 16th century to make a permanent English settlement in the Virginia Colony. During 1585 and 1857, seven groups tried to make a colony, but either abandoned the settlement or went away. The last group of colonists went away after three years passed without supplies from the Kingdom Of England during the Anglo-Spanish War, going to the continuing mystery called “The Lost Colony” of 90 men, 17 women, and 9 kids found in 1857 and found to be missing in 1590 but for the word “Croatan” made on a post. Even though both the English and the Spanish looked for clues to the Lost Colony for a lot of years, the mystery was never figured out. The first Roanoke Colony was around for 10 months. This account, an amazing description of American before European settlement, took from Lane’s report on the adventure to Sir Walter Raleigh. To the Northwest the longest place of our discovery was to Chawanook far from Roanoak about 130 miles. Our passage thither is around through a broad sound, but all fresh water, and a channel of a great depth, controllable for good shipping, but out of the channel full of shoals. Chawanook itself is the bestest province and Seigniorie lying upon that river, and that the town itself is able to put 700 fighting men into the field, besides the force of the province itself. The king there is called Menatonon, a man impotent in his limbs, but otherwise for a savage, a very grave and wise man, and of a very singular good discourse in matters concerning the state, not only of his own country, and the disposition of his own men, but also of his neighbors round about him as well far as near, and of the commodities that each country yields.

Theories of what might have happened to the colony:

1. The people of Roanoke simply left the settlement. This is one of the more probable theories. It is said that they have supposedly left Roanoke island and started settling in the Chesapeake Bay. And that they built rafts or a boat of some sort using materials torn apart from their houses. Close to twenty years had passed before John Smith and his group started the well-known settlement of Jamestown (where the popular story of Pocahontas takes place). This settlement was near the Chesapeake Bay. The evidence in this tale is that the ruler of the natives did indeed admit to killing the colonists. They said that they had been in their land (Chesapeake Bay area) and were then annihilated to prevent more English settlers form stealing their land. 2.The whole population of Roanoke Island was killed by a disease. This is an absurd theory. It is true that the English had brought over some diseases. However, note, there were no bodies found and the houses had disappeared. Quite a ridiculous theory. 3. The village was destroyed by a severe storm such as a hurricane. Another one of the incredulous theories. A hurricane could have washed away the colonists and destroyed the houses, true. But the huge problem with this theory is the fence was still standing. It is not possible for a storm to do as much damage as clearing away the whole settlement when the fence remained untouched. 4. The people of Roanoke decided to leave Roanoke Island to live with the Natives. This theory is definitely probable. Crotoan, which was carved on the post, was the name of an island in the area. It was also the name of the group of the kind natives that inhabited it. It is possible that they colonists decided to live with the natives of Croatoan. Though there has not been a descent amount of evidence to prove this theory, there also has been no evidence against it. 5. The colonists were killed by the Native Americans This is the most probable of all five theories. One important fact supports this theory. As one may not know, the English men had before tried to start the colony of Roanoke before. Twas a group of fifteen men. A little over a year had passed since they first started the colony, before explorers decided to check up on their hopeful progress. What these explorers found was one dead body. It was verified that it was the work of the Natives. From this past event we know that the Natives were capable of such atrocities and also capable of hiding the bodies. What’s interesting is that the Natives pulled all of that off in between less than a two year period. While the “lost colony” had been deprived of its leader for a number of three years. The “Indians” had a sufficient amount of time to tear down the buildings too. However there has still not been enough evidence to verify this theory. It is an incredible fact that hitherto historians contain no sure explanation about what exactly happened to the colonists and the residences of Roanoke in 1588. People have umpteen theories on what occurred in that three year period. Some, as we know, include, the spread of a disease, a hurricane, etc. Even peculiar yet probable theories such as extra-terrestrial abductions have been issued. Will mankind perpetually crawl in the dark when it comes to this topic? Or, will light be discovered?