ne of the Indians stole a silver cup. To recover it, a party
visited a town, and not obtaining the cup, burned the houses and spoiled
the corn; 'a mean revenge,' destined to meet a bloody retaliation.

Soon after, the fleet sailed to Hatorask; not the cape or the inlet
which we now call by nearly the same name, but an inlet then nearly
opposite Roanoke, where all those intending to remain were probably
landed. On the twenty-fifth of August, the fleet sailed for England.

The colony, landed on Roanoke, consisted of one hundred and seven
persons, of whom Ralph Lane was the Governor, Amidas, the admiral,
Hariot, the historian and chaplain, and John White the artist. So soon
as they were settled at the island, they began the exploration of the
country. This was done in boats, and entirely toward the south. Visiting
the Neuse and the western shore of Pamlico Sound, they explored
Currituck, on the east; while on the north, they penetrated to the
distance of one hundred and sixty miles, and ascended Moratio, now known
as the Roanoke river, probably more than fifty miles from its mouth.
This was done with extreme labor and peril, as the Indians had deluded
them with a story of mines of gold, and having notice of Lane's coming,
were prepared to attack him. So sanguine were the party of finding
mines, and yet so reduced, that they still pushed on, though they once
found that they had but a half-pint of corn for a man, besides two
mastiffs, upon the pottage of which, with sassafras leaves, they might
subsist for two days. They returned safe, however, without any of the
precious metals which they had made such exertions to find. Lane also
explored the Chowan, or, as he called it, the Chowanook. The king of
this country gave him much information respecting the territory, which
proved to be perfectly truthful.

From the Indians, Lane had received intimations of the existence of
Chesapeake Bay,[L] and was desirous of visiting it.

The story of this 'king' of the Chesapeans was full of interest, he
knowing well the route, which Lane communicates, with the plans he
intended to carry out, but which the sudden departure of the colony left
unfulfilled, so that the great bay remained for a few years longer a
mere myth to the English. Of this native king, Lane says:

'He 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 co