Worksheet # 20          Home Questions Puzzle Links Next

THE ENGLISH AT ROANOKE

Now, from the time of Columbus, 1492

And for a century more, that’s years not a few,

The monarchs of Spain and their Catholic empire,

Were the heavy-weight champs, with none ranking higher.

While back home on their isle, the English grew jealous

Of Spain’s burgeoning kingdom (or so people tell us).

And Her Majesty the Queen was determined and tough

To see her fair England claim dominion enough.

And advice came her way from the men of her court,

Sir Walter Raleigh was one, of a chivalrous sort,

Who asked of his Queen to allow him the chance

To start up a colony, just like Spain and like France.

And so Elizabeth the First sent forth a few souls

To butter their bread where the Atlantic coast rolls.

And in lands called Virginia, these feisty Brit folk

Built a cluster of cabins on the isle Roanoke.

But when they made camp, problems shortly arose

As settlers and natives exchanged a few blows!

And all wondered out loud if a mistake had been made

To live in such peril of an Indian raid!

And with food running short, the English were yearning

For their Old World homes, their new ones spurning.

But soon others arrived to make a go of the place,

Only to vanish for good, hardly leaving a trace!

Just imagine how shocking, imagine how weird,

Should you happen to find a whole town disappeared!

Like the shadow of shadows, ‘twas a ghostly event

That haunts our story with grim puzzlement.

A single carved word, the isle “CROATOAN”

Is all that they left, and all that is known.

Did they starve, do battle, or just move away?

An intriguing mystery it remains to this day.