The two leading ships of the expedition reached Hatoraske on July 22,
1587, and the third ship on July 25. Meanwhile, on the 22d, Governor
White and a small group of planters had gone to Roanoke Island with the
intention of conferring with the 15 men left there by Grenville the
preceding year. On reaching the place where the men had been left, they
found only the bones of one of them who had been killed by the Indians.
There was no sign of the others.
The next day Governor White and his party "walked to the North end of
the island, where Master Ralfe Lane had his forte, with sundry necessary
and decent dwelling houses made by his men about it the yeere before."
Here it was hoped some sign of Grenville's men would be discovered. They
found the fort razed "but all the houses standing unhurt, saving that
the neather rooms of them, and also of the forte, were overgrown with
Melons of divers sortes, and Deere within them, feeding on those
Melons." All hope of finding Grenville's men then vanished.
For reasons which are obscure, but perhaps because the season was late,
it was decided to settle again at Roanoke Island rather than go on to
the Chesapeake Bay country. Those houses found Standing were repaired
and "newe cottages" were built. The Indians proved to be more hostile
than formerly, and George Howe, one of the assistants, was killed by the
Indians soon after the landing. Through the intercession of the Indian
Manteo, who had relatives on the barrier island of Croatoan, friendly
relations with the Croatoan Indians were reestablished, but the others
remained aloof. The remnants of the Roanoke Island Indians dwelling at
Dasamonquepeuc were accused by the Croatoan Indians of killing
Grenville's men as well as George Howe. Hence, on August 8, Governor
White, with Captain Stafford and 24 men, suddenly attacked the town of
Dasamonquepeuc with fire and sword. It was a blunder. The Roanoke
Indians had already fled. In their place were the friendly Croatoan
Indians who had heard of the flight of the other Indians and had come
over to take whatever corn and fruit might have been left behind. Thanks
to Manteo, the Croatoan Indians forgave the Englishmen, or pretended to
do so.
On August 13, complying with Raleigh's instructions, Manteo was
christened and declared Lord of Roanoke and Dasamonquepeuc as a reward
for his many services. Five days later, Governor White's daughter,
Eleanor, wife of Ananias Dare, gave birth to a daughter, who was named
Virginia because she was the first child of English parentage to be born
in the New World. Another child was born to Dyonis and Margery Harvie
shortly afterwards. On the 27th, Governor White, at the earnest entreaty
of the "planters in Virginia," sailed homeward with the fleet to obtain
supplies for the colony.