1 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: You're listening to Unexplained, Season four, episode thirteen, Lost in 2 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: Stormy Visions, Part three. The rigging tapped lazily against the 3 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: ship's masts as the vessel rocked gently back and forth 4 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: while strewn all across the top deck. The bodies of 5 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: its crew lay stretched out and unmoving under the gray, 6 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: formless clouds above. Down below and exhausted. John White, the 7 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: contours of his bones clearly visible through his clothes, stirred 8 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: in his bunk, his desiccated tongue probing feebly at his 9 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: cracked and bleeding lips as he drifted in and out 10 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: of consciousness. Only six weeks before, Governor White had clambered 11 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: aboard Edward Spicer's flyboat, hoping for a swift journey to 12 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: England before heading back to Roanoke Island, but the omens 13 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: had not been good. Within minutes of boarding, the vessel, 14 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 1: twelve or the fifteen strong crew were badly injured due 15 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: to a malfunctioning anchor mechanism that snapped back on them 16 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: as they tried to bring it up. Eventually, they were 17 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: forced to cut the anchor loose entirely, with only half 18 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: the crew able to function properly, the ship had just 19 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: made it past the azors when the wind completely ceased 20 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: to blow. For days, they drifted until finally storm clouds 21 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: began to amass on the horizon. Unfortunately, the ensuing gale 22 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: only succeeded in beating them back to where they had 23 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: just come from. It would be almost a week before 24 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: they were able to continue on their way, only for 25 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: the wind to once again desert them. With the ship becalmed, 26 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: two men dropped dead, as the rest subsisted on dregs 27 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: of beer and wine leaves until finally they too were exhausted. 28 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: After weeks adrift on the ocean, with the men barely 29 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: strong enough to lift their heads, a gray smudge was 30 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: spied on the horizon, with no one daring to believe 31 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: that it could be land. It wasn't until days later, 32 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,239 Speaker 1: when the smudge had shifted into something of genuine form, 33 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: that they realized they were saved. Having no idea where 34 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: they were, it was with some relief when the sailors 35 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: caught wind of Irish accents coming from the shore. After 36 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: drifting for the best part of a month, the men 37 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: finally made landfall on October sixteenth, within four days of 38 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: arriving another three crew members would die and three others 39 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: be taken perilously ill. Three weeks later, Governor John White 40 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: returned to London. At Sir Walter Raleigh's home, Raleigh listened 41 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: with barely concealed contempt as White did his best to 42 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: explain the colony's predicament. For a man so used to 43 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 1: getting his own way, it was simply impossible to fathom 44 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: how on earth White had allowed Simon Fernandez to abandon 45 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: the colonists on Roanoke Island. To make matters worse, a 46 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: supply ship with everything the settlers would be needing to 47 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: survive the winter, was already on route to Chesapeake Bay. 48 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: The ship duly arrived at the bay, only to find 49 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: nobody there, and promptly returned to England. And worse was 50 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: to come. While White had been away, tensions between the 51 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: English and Spanish crowns had been steadily increasing. Now on 52 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: the brink of war, Queen Elizabeth had issued a ba 53 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: and on any ships traveling without her permission, lest they 54 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: be needed to mount an attack on her enemy. White 55 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: was devastated. It had been three months since he'd left America, 56 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: and even if Raleigh could get permission to send a 57 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: second supply ship, it would be at least another two 58 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: months before it could get to Roanoke. Being equally dismayed 59 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: at the situation, Raleigh nonetheless agreed to seek permission from 60 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: the Queen to send a second supply ship to the 61 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: stranded settlers. A week before it was due to set sail. However, 62 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: the weather deteriorated so severely that it wasn't until spring 63 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 1: the following year that its crew were confident enough they 64 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: could make the trip. Then, just as White was finally 65 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: about to set sail, the Queen received word that an 66 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,119 Speaker 1: armada of well over a hundred ships had set sail 67 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: from Spain, planning to mount an invasion of England. White's 68 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: vessels would duly fuscated, and the fleet's captain, Richard Grenville, 69 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 1: ordered to report to Francis Drake, who was overseeing the 70 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: naval defense of the country. Pleading with Raleigh once again, 71 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: White eventually succeeded in securing two pinnaces to make the 72 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: journey instead, small vessels that were ordinarily used to take 73 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: passengers of a larger vessel to the shore. Though undoubtedly 74 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: a risk, White had little option but to make do 75 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: with what he had. After procuring a crew. Finally, he 76 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: was on his way back to America. Barely a week 77 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: into the journey to White's dismay, two galleons were spotted 78 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: on the horizon. As they drew closer, the crew discovered 79 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: with alarm that the ships were from Spain. In the end, 80 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: it could have been worse. After only taking their supplies, 81 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: the admirals of the Spanish vessels allowed John White and 82 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:04,039 Speaker 1: his crew to return to England. On July nineteenth, the 83 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: King of Spain's fleet was spotted off the southwest coast 84 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: of England. In response, a series of beacons were lit 85 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: in quick succession, delivering a message by fire all the 86 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: way to London that the country was under attack. The 87 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: war had begun, and with it any hope that Governor 88 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: White had of returning to Roanoke Island had vanished. By August, 89 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: the King of Spain's armada was defeated. However, Walter Raleigh, 90 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: who had spent the best part of the summer overseeing 91 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 1: the English crowns colonization of Ireland, would not return to 92 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: England until March fifteen eighty nine. It was sometime in 93 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: March the following year that White, who incredibly had refused 94 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: to give up. Hope got wind of a local merchants 95 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: and to send three trade ships to the West Indies, 96 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: the only problem being that, with the country still at war, 97 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: the Queen was refusing to give them permission to sail. 98 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: Realizing also that this could be their last chance, Raleigh 99 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: convinced the Queen to let them travel on the proviso 100 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: that they take John White to Roanoke Island, and so 101 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: it was that on March twentieth, fifteen ninety, two years 102 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: and seven months since he had last seen his daughter 103 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: Eleanor and granddaughter Virginia, White stepped aboard the Hopewell for 104 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: one final attempt to get back to them. The catch 105 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: being that each captain in the fleet had every intention 106 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: of making the most of their journey before heading to America, 107 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: White would have little choice but to dig in and 108 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: pray that he would make it out alive. Over the 109 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: next few months, the fleet attacked and raided two Spanish flyboats, 110 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: before later being shot at by Spanish defenses when drawing 111 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: too close to the island of Saint John. Alighting at 112 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: another island soon after, the crew of White's boat burned 113 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: a Spanish settlement to the ground. Two men were abducted 114 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: from the island of Dominica to be kept as slaves 115 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: on the hopewell, but later managed to escape shortly before 116 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: the ship was attacked by a Spanish galleon, resulting in 117 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: a four hour gun battle against four hundred sailors. And 118 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: that was only the half of it. After numerous other 119 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,479 Speaker 1: skirmishes and raids on vessels from France and Spain, including 120 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: chasing three ships heavily laden with treasure around almost the 121 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: entirety of Cuba, the admiral of the fleet, Captain Cook, 122 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: finally called it a day in August, having now been 123 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: joined by John White's old friend Edward Spicer captaining the moonlight, 124 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: the fleet was ready to make its way to Roanoke, 125 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: and soon they were approaching the southern edge of the 126 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: Outer Bank, passing first the shores of croato And Island 127 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: to the west, and then eventually, as a bright full 128 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: moon the color of bone rose steadily into the sky. 129 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: On August fifteenth, the fleet arrived off the coast of 130 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: Hatterask Island, nestled just a mile beyond. It was Roanoke 131 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: that evening White watched with a combination of joy and 132 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: utter disbelief. As the telltale sign of campfire smoke rose 133 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: up from within the island, he couldn't believe it. Could 134 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,719 Speaker 1: it be? He thought that the colonists had survived all 135 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 1: this time, having arrived later than hoped. White would have 136 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: to wait till first light before any attempt was made 137 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: to find out. That night, as he lay awake in 138 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: his bunk, trying to imagine how his granddaughter might look, 139 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: whether even he might have a second grandchild by now, 140 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: those that had been chosen to escort him to the 141 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: island were restless too. There was just no way they 142 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: could still be there, they thought. And if it wasn't 143 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: the colonists who made the fire, just what else exactly 144 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: might they find out there. The following morning, two boats 145 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: loaded with men headed out toward the Pamlico Sound. White 146 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: traveled in Captain Cook's vessel, while Captain Spicer took lead 147 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: of the other. First, they would need to carefully navigate 148 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: their way through the outer Bank, a slow and treacherous 149 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 1: journey owing to the unpredictable nature of the various sandbars 150 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: and channels hidden below the waves. It was precisely for 151 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: that reason that Raleigh had suggested settling on Roanoke in 152 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: the first place, since not only was it hidden from 153 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: the Atlantic side, but no warship could possibly get near it. 154 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: For White, it was utter torture watching as the pilots 155 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: cautiously negotiated their way, checking and rechecking the depths around 156 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:16,080 Speaker 1: them every few minutes, until finally they were through. At 157 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: that moment, two loud cannon blasts could be heard from behind, 158 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: a prearranged signal from the hopewell to announce their arrival 159 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: to the colonists. White and the rest fixed their eyes 160 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: on the island for any sign of movement near the shore, 161 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: but nobody came. The smoke from the night before had 162 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: also gone. Then a cry went up as one sailor 163 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: spotted another trail of smoke, this time rising from Kindraiker's Mount, 164 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 1: a large sand dune located roughly halfway down the outer 165 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: bank between Roanoke and crow Atoan. It made sense, thought White, 166 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: since it had been discussed that the colony would move 167 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: that way should things become complicated. Having yet to see 168 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: more signs of life on Roanoke, White suggested to Cook 169 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: that they turned the boat and head to Kindraker's Mount 170 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: to see what they could find a few hours later, 171 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: having moored up just off the beach, the men jumped 172 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: into the water and headed cautiously toward where the smoke 173 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: was coming from, picking their way through a thick mesh 174 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: of trees and scrub on constant alert, they arrived at 175 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: the fire, or rather what was left of it. Somebody 176 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: had been there, but they had long since moved on. 177 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: With the two crews tired and exhausted, it was decided 178 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: to head back to their respective ships for the evening 179 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: before trying again for Roanoke Island. It was sometime around 180 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: ten when they reached the opening and the outer bank 181 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: to take them back through to the Atlantic. Cook's vessel 182 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: went first, but quickly got into difficult when a furious 183 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: gale swept across the water, taking the wheel. Cook wrestled 184 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 1: tirelessly with the boat as a series of ever growing 185 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: waves pummeled it from both sides. With the rest of 186 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: the crew furiously baling out water, Cook managed finally to 187 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: get through. It was only when they were back on 188 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: board the Hopewell that they noticed Spicer's boat being tossed 189 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: violently about on the turbulent waters. Cook's men could only 190 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: watch horrified and helpless. A Spicer's boat was pitched onto 191 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: its side in one swift movement, then, with a second 192 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: wave colliding into its side, it was completely tipped over. 193 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 1: Cook's crew watched on as some leaped from the vessel 194 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: into the sea, while others clung on for dear life 195 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: until they too were finally overwhelmed and disappeared into the gray. 196 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: Some tried to swim to the nearest shore, only to 197 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 1: be beaten mercilessly back into the open water. Having seen enough, 198 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: Captain Cook and four others jumped back into their boat 199 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: and raced out to save their comrades. Seven men in total, 200 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: including Captain Spicer, were drowned. Back on board the ships 201 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: that night, the mood was understandably somber, and some began 202 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: to question the purpose of their trip, that it had 203 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: been doomed from the start. The next morning, White was 204 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: woken by a commotion on deck. See for yourself, said 205 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: Captain Cook, pointing toward Roanoke smoke, this time coming from 206 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 1: the northern edge of the island, close to where the 207 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: colonists fought Raleigh had been established. That evening, Captain Cook 208 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: brought his boat to the shores of roanoke. Stumbling from 209 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: the vessel, Governor White sprinted up the beach, urging the 210 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: rest of the men to follow, but the men stayed, 211 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: still concerned that something wasn't quite right. Cook agreed. Pointing 212 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: into the trees, White looked again at the warm orange 213 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: glow emanating from somewhere in the forest beyond that was 214 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: no camp fire. Not wanting to lose any more of 215 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: his crew, Cook suggested they make camp for the night 216 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: and continued their journey in the morning. Just then, one 217 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: of the crew stepped forward and, putting a trumpet to 218 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: his lips, blew a series of signals into the trees, 219 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: each being answered by nothing save for the sound of 220 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: the waves sloshing against the sand. The men found the 221 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: fire still burning the following day, its limp flames licking 222 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: at blackened tree trunks, while all about the ground the 223 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: grass too was on fire. It was as if their 224 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: journey had merely been taking them through one door after 225 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: another of hell, and only now were they getting to 226 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: the heart of it. Returning to the beach, the men 227 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: trekked to the island's northern edge until they spotted fresh 228 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: footprints in the sand, heading into the trees. Through there, 229 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: said White, pointing to a pathway that would lead them 230 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: straight to the fort. But just as he was about 231 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: to step forward, he felt a sudden, profound weight fall 232 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: upon him. For three years he had pined for this moment, 233 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: hoping every day to be reunited with his daughter, But 234 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: only now that he was here did he consider the worst. 235 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: It was abundantly clear that either his people had left 236 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: or they were dead. Perhaps he didn't want to see 237 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: what might be waiting for him at the settlement. Looking up, 238 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: he was suddenly distracted by something on one of the trees. 239 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: Do you see that, he asked Cook. Stepping forward, he 240 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 1: held out his hands and brushed them against the trunk 241 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: along the edges of what were clearly three letters carved 242 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: into its bark, c R and oh crow, a tone 243 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: he whispered under his breath, before rushing headlong into the forest. 244 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: Are you always taking care of your family? Do you 245 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: often take care of others and not yourself? Now it's 246 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 1: time to take care of yourself, to make time for 247 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: you you deserve it. Tele Adoc gives you access to 248 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 1: a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling 249 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: your best, to feeling like yourself again. With tele adoc, 250 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: you can speak to a licensed therapist by phone or video. 251 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: Therapy appointments are available seven days a week from seven 252 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: am to nine pm local time. If you feel overwhelmed 253 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 1: sometimes maybe you feel stressed or anxious, depressed or lonely, 254 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,719 Speaker 1: or you might be struggling with a personal or family issue, 255 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: teledoc can help. Teledoc is committed to facilitating great therapeutic matches, 256 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: so they make it easy to change counselors if needed. 257 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:23,399 Speaker 1: For free. Teledoc therapy is available through most insurance or employers. 258 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,679 Speaker 1: Download the app or visit teledoc dot com Forward slash 259 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: Unexplained podcast, to Day to Get Started, That's t e 260 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: L a d oc dot com slash unexplained podcast. When 261 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: White finally arrived at the fort, it was some relief 262 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: to find it completely deserted, with no sign of the 263 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: settlers nor their remains. The place had changed significantly since 264 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 1: White had last been there, with all the houses having 265 00:18:56,560 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: been destroyed or removed entirely, and all about it a 266 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: heavily fortified palisade section made from large tree trunks had 267 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: been installed, as if the settlers had been preparing for 268 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: a raid. Then he saw it the word crow aten 269 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: in full, this time clearly carved five feet up from 270 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: the floor into the bark of a large wooden post. 271 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: White looked frantically for any sign of a cross carved 272 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: above it, a sign that the colonists had been forcefully 273 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 1: run out, but he found none. White sunk to his 274 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 1: knees with relief, as he explained to Captain Cook soon after. 275 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: This was the prearranged signal between him and the colonists, 276 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 1: a message to tell him where they'd gone, should they 277 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: ever have to leave. As the men investigated the rest 278 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: of the ruined fort, they found a number of heavy 279 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,880 Speaker 1: materials stacked up in a pile that had presumably been 280 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 1: thought unnecessary to take with them. A series of large 281 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,400 Speaker 1: wooden chests were found too, dug out at the ground, 282 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: with their contents long since destroyed by the weather, scattered 283 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: all over the floor. White bent down to peel a 284 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 1: piece of paper from the ground. On it was the 285 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: illustration of a secotan that he had painted years before. 286 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: It was all his stuff. The colonists had buried it 287 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: in case he should ever return. Just then, thick dark 288 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: cloud began to swirl above, as large drops of water 289 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 1: cascaded down upon them. It was time to head back 290 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: to the ship. By the following morning, a full on 291 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: storm was raging. Kirk ordered the crew to set sail 292 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: for crowatoe In Island, but no sooner had they weighed 293 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 1: anchor than the cable snapped, sending the ship on a 294 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: perilous collision course with the shore. Then, by sheer luck, 295 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: the ship was suddenly pushed into a deep channel and 296 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: maneuvered away from the outer bank back into the Atlantic, 297 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:11,679 Speaker 1: leaving Cook deeply shaken, running dangerously low on food and 298 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: fresh water, and with only one anchor left to moor 299 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: the vessel. Cook realized any attempt to reach Crowetoin would 300 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 1: be a suicide mission. Despite White's desperate please, Kok's mind 301 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: was made up. They would sail to the Caribbean to refuel, 302 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: then come back for the colonists. Those on the Moonlight, 303 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 1: devastated by the loss of seven of their crew, decided 304 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: instead to head straight back to England. Weeks later, the 305 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: storm winds had forced the Hopewell not to the Caribbean 306 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: as planned, but all the way to the Azores, and 307 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: when the winds failed to change, Kok, putting the safety 308 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: of his vessel and crew, first made the drastic decision 309 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 1: they would not be going back to America. On October 310 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: twenty fourth, fifteen ninety John White was returned to England. 311 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: He would never again travel to the New World, and 312 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: the fate of his colony was destined to remain a mystery. 313 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,679 Speaker 1: Little is known of just what became of John White, 314 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: the former governor of the second English colony of Roanoke Island. 315 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: Having given up on ever finding his daughter and granddaughter 316 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: or any of the other one hundred and sixteen missing colonists, 317 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: including a second baby that was borne out there as well, 318 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,199 Speaker 1: he is thought to have retired to Ireland, where he 319 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: eventually died. In fifteen ninety four, All colonists were officially 320 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: declared dead by English law, based on the fact that 321 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,400 Speaker 1: the last known contact with them had been more than 322 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: seven years previously, though he was never registered as such. 323 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: Manteo was also assumed to have died. The ruling was 324 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: of particular shock to Raleigh, as this also marked the 325 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: end of his contract with Queen Elizabeth, entitling him to 326 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: any riches found in the New World. Without the colony, 327 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 1: the contract was void. As for Simon Fernandez, who so 328 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: brazenly abandoned the colonists on Roanoke Island. It has never 329 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 1: been ascertained precisely what motivated him to do so. Some 330 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: have speculated, however, that he may have been deliberately trying 331 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: to sabotage the mission, as John White had suspected all along. 332 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: In her book Roanoke Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony, 333 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: writer LEEH. Miller speculated that Queen Elizabeth's head spy, Sir 334 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: Francis Walsingham, had enlisted Fernandez to undermine Raleigh's attempt to 335 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 1: establish the colony in America. Walsingham had become embittered over 336 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: Raleigh's rapid rise in the court of Queen Elizabeth Simon. 337 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: Fernandez is thought to have died at sea sometime in 338 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: fifteen ninety Raleigh tried a number of times to locate 339 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: the Lost Colony in order to validate his contract with Elizabeth, 340 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: sending ships in fifteen ninety nine and again in sixteen 341 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 1: o two, but neither made it as far as Roanoke 342 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: or Crowetoan before being forced to return to England. The 343 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: sixteen o two expedition did return with some intriguing news, however, 344 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: Rumors amongst the local communities of America that some of 345 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,439 Speaker 1: the lost colony were in fact alive and well and 346 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: living with one of the East Coast communities, but by 347 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: then Raleigh was facing an uncertain future. In sixteen o three, 348 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 1: Queen Elizabeth died, and with the subsequent ascension of James 349 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: the First to the throne, Raleigh was stripped of all 350 00:24:55,840 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: his rights and claims to the New World. Far worse, 351 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 1: in July of that year, he was arrested and accused 352 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: of plotting against the king. Though at first spared death 353 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: due to his services to the crown, he would spend 354 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: the next thirteen years locked in the Tower of London. 355 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: After being pardoned, Raleigh traveled to Venezuela in search of 356 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: El Dorado, the mythical city of Gold, having been given 357 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: permission by the king to do so on the one 358 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,479 Speaker 1: condition that he avoided any hostility with ships from Spain. 359 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: When it was discovered that some of his men, against 360 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: Raleigh's orders, had violated this condition, he was arrested on 361 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 1: his return to England and this time sentenced to death. 362 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: He was beheaded in October sixteen eighteen. In the years 363 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 1: since the disappearance of the colony at Roanoke, rumors continued 364 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: to abound about just what had become of them. When 365 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 1: the first formal English colony in America was settled at 366 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 1: Jamestown in sixteen o seven, some of the settlers learned 367 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: from people local to the area that the Roanoke colony 368 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: had in fact been slaughtered by Chief winjun As people 369 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 1: in revenge for his murder. It is often said that 370 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: what is commonly known today as the United States has 371 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: its origins in the hugely controversial settlement of Jamestown. Although 372 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: most of the English at the time talked with relish 373 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 1: about the savages they had to endure and fight off 374 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: while trying to establish the town, in truth, its success 375 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:46,400 Speaker 1: owed much to the generosity of the local power town people, who, 376 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 1: when the colony was on the verge of dying out, 377 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: gifted the settlers their food to help them survive in return. 378 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: Thanks to the blank canvas that America represented to Europeans, 379 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,360 Speaker 1: who saw in it the opportunity to create new worlds, 380 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: foster new ideas, and get monetarily rich, the world and 381 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: ways of those already native to it was broadly dismissed 382 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: until it had been all but extinguished. The plan of 383 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 1: those who settled at Jamestown was to establish another England 384 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: in a distant land. In the end, however, the colony 385 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 1: of Jamestown and the people who eventually settled there would 386 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: become only one of a vast array of different people 387 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 1: and ideas that together would evolve into the nation that 388 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: America is today, a place that was not born from 389 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: one idea or one way of life, but from multitudes. 390 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: As for the fate of those early settlers at Roanoke, 391 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 1: it is said that in seventeen oh one, while conducting 392 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: a survey of the Mid East coast, engineer John Lawson 393 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: found himself anchored off the shore of Crowetoa, An Island. 394 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 1: Having made his way to land, he was soon after 395 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: greeted by what he assumed to be a local community 396 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: of Native Americans. Only they weren't like any he had 397 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:17,199 Speaker 1: ever come across before. Their skin was a little paler, 398 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: their hair less dark, and their eyes unusually gray in color. 399 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: These people claimed, apparently that some of their ancestors, more 400 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: pale skinned than them, had arrived a hundred years before 401 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: from a country very far away. If you enjoy listening 402 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 1: to Unexplained and would like to help supporters, you can 403 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 1: now go to Unexplained Podcast dot com. Forward Slash support. 404 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: All donations, no matter how large or small, are massively appreciated. 405 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: All elements of Unexplained are produced by me, Richard McClain Smith. 406 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: Please subscribe and rate the show on iTunes, and feel 407 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: free to get in touch with any thoughts or ideas 408 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 1: regarding the stories you've heard on the show. Perhaps you 409 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:13,720 Speaker 1: have an explanation of your own you'd like to share. 410 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: You can reach us online at Unexplained podcast dot com, 411 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 1: or Twitter at Unexplained Pod and Facebook at Facebook dot com. 412 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 1: Forward Slash Unexplained. Now, it's time to take care of yourself. 413 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: To make time for you. Teledoc gives you access to 414 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling 415 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: your best. Speak to a licensed therapist by phone or 416 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: video anytime between seven am to nine pm local time, 417 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: seven days a week. Teledoc Therapy is available through most 418 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: insurance or employers. Download the app or visitteldoc dot com. 419 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast Today to get started. That's t 420 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: e l a d oc dot com. Slash Unexplained Podcast