What the search party found carved into a tree was a complete word.......Croatoan.........the name of a local indian tribe........................the left to die colonists started carving the same word..........i think left like three letters.............c.r.o or something................................

First voyages to Roanoke Island[edit]

Further information: List of colonists at Roanoke

On April 27, 1584, Raleigh dispatched an expedition led by Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe to explore the eastern coast of North America. They arrived on Roanoke Island on July 4,^[2]:32 and soon established relations with the local natives, the Secotans and Croatoans. Barlowe returned to England with two Croatoans namedManteo and Wanchese, who were able to describe the politics and geography of the area to Raleigh.^[2]:44–45 Based on this information, Raleigh organized a second expedition, to be led by Sir Richard Grenville.

Grenville's fleet departed Plymouth on April 9, 1585, with five main ships: the Tiger (Grenville's), the Roebuck, the Red Lion, the Elizabeth, and the Dorothy. Unfortunately, a severe storm off the coast of Portugal separated the Tiger from the rest of the fleet.^[2]:57 The captains had a contingency plan if they were separated, which was to meet up again in Puerto Rico, and the Tiger arrived in the "Baye of Muskito"^[4] (Guayanilla Bay) on May 11