One of the most burning mysteries of the early history of America

One of the most burning mysteries of early American history - the complete disappearance of the colony founded in the XVII century by Sir Walter Raleigh on Roanoke Island off the coast of North Carolina.

In the settlement, there were 170 people, including women and children.

Around the hostile Indian tribes lived.

Founded a colony, Raleigh sailed on his ship, but a few years back. To his utter astonishment, houses were empty!

There was no trace of the massacre, or fire, or other disaster. No trace of the missing British. Only one wooden post sported a mysterious inscription, carved with a knife, "Croatan" ...

Only a century later to find the first thread to unravel. White hunters wandered in one Indian village, two hundred miles from Roanoke.

There, as it turned out, lived Croatan Indians. Their skin is very different light color, but at home - an improved layout. Moreover, in a conversation Croatan use old English!

In 1790, in a strange village it was first census of the population. It turned out that many Indians - English names; and, in 54 cases, these names were the same as that of the missing settlers of Roanoke.

Draw attention to themselves and other circumstances. Island settled immigrants from the English city of Skoviltauna - the Indian village was called Skafltaun! ..

When the elders of the village told the researchers that their ancestors were white-skinned, blue-eyed and "talking books" - the last doubts vanished.

Nearly two centuries ago, the colonists of Roanoke - all without exception - was captured and taken inland warriors Croatan.

Maybe someone from the settlers decided to cut on the pillar inscription tells the story of the tragedy of the island. But only managed to scribble the name of a tribe attacked a Roanoke ...