THIS IS AMERICA - The Lost Colony

THIS IS AMERICA -March 4, 2002: The Lost Colony¹

By Jill Moss²
. . . . . . .

Broadcast: March 4, 2002

VOICE ONE:

In Fifteen-Eighty -Seven, more than one-hundred men,

women and children sailed from Britain across the

Atlantic Ocean. They arrived at Roanoke Island off
the coast of what is now North Carolina. This group established the first English settlement in America.
However, within three years, the group disappeared without any signs. No one knows what happened to them.
I’m Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. The story of America’s Lost Colony is our report today on the VOA Special English
program, THIS IS AMERICA.

((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

Britain’s first settlement of families in America was supposed to be along the Chesapeake Bay. However, for
unknown reasons, the colonists³ settled on Roanoke Island instead of sailing farther⁴ north.

Roanoke is a low, narrow island that lies between North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the mainland⁵. The Outer
Banks are a group of narrow islands along the North Carolina coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

The land on Roanoke Island today appears much as it did when the colonists arrived. The island has thick
wetland areas, tall oak⁶ trees and a lot of wild animals. Because of this, Roanoke was a good, welcoming place for
the colonists to settle.

VOICE TWO:

Soon after the colonists arrived in Fifteen-Eighty-Seven, fighting broke out with nearby Native American
Indians. John White had led the British colonists to what was called the New World. He soon recognized that
more supplies and arms were needed if the settlers were to survive. So Governor⁷ White decided⁸ to return to
England only a few months after the settlers had arrived.

Ten days before he sailed, Governor White’s daughter Eleanor Dare had a baby girl. Virginia Dare became the
first English child born in America. However, Governor White would never know his granddaughter. The last
time he saw his family was just before he returned to England.

VOICE ONE:

When he arrived back in England, Governor White found himself trapped. Britain had declared war with Spain in
Fifteen-Eighty, and all ships were sent to battle. Finally, in Fifteen-Ninety, Governor White was able to return to
Roanoke Island. However, instead of finding⁹ the small settlement busy and growing, he discovered it was empty.
The only evidence telling where the colonists could have gone were the letters C-R-O written on a wooden stick
at the entrance to the colony.

Governor White thought the letters meant the colonists had gone to live with the Croatoan Indians south of
Roanoke. He was ready to investigate, but was forced to return to England after a great storm damaged some


equipment on his ships. Governor White tried several more times to return to America, but was never successful.
He died many years later, never knowing what happened to his family and the colony.

((MUSIC BRIDGE ))

VOICE TWO:

Today, visitors to Roanoke Island can gain a good understanding of what life was like for the colonists. On the
northern end of the island is the Fort¹⁰ Raleigh National Historic¹¹ Site. This park was developed on the same land
used by the colonists. In fact, there is a building in the middle of the park that is modeled after the small military
structure built when the colonists first arrived.

This model fort is the only structure in the park built in the exact place as the first building. The model fort was
built the same way it was created when the first settlers arrived. The fort was mainly a square building with
pointed¹² structures called bastions. Bastions are secure¹³ military positions used in fighting.

Researchers believe the homes of the colonists would have been built near the road leading from the entrance of
the fort. The researchers also discovered many objects from the colonial¹⁴ period. They include iron farming
equipment, an Indian smoking pipe, and metal counters used for keeping financial records.

VOICE ONE:

Inside the visitor’s center at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is the Elizabethan Room. This room has
wooden walls and a stone fireplace¹⁵ from a sixteenth-century British home. The Elizabethan Room is similar to
the kind of rooms found in the home of Sir Walter Raleigh. He was a wealthy British investor¹⁶ who financially
supported the Roanoke colony.

Outside the visitor’s center are the Elizabethan Gardens. The Garden Club of North Carolina created these
gardens as a memorial to the first colonists. They are also examples of the kind of gardens wealthy supporters of
the colony enjoyed in Britain. People visiting the Elizabethan Gardens can enter through a sixteenth-century

garden house. Beautiful paths lead visitors among the different flowers and plants that grow throughout the year.

During warm summer nights, visitors at Roanoke Island can see a play called “The Lost Colony.
”
The
Roanoke Island Historical Association¹⁷ has been performing this play since Nineteen-Thirty-Seven. It includes
music, dance and the mysterious story of the lost colonists. The show is performed in an outdoor theater near the

Elizabethan Gardens. The Waterside Theater is America’s first outdoor theater.

VOICE TWO:

Several kilometers south of Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is Roanoke Island Festival Park. The park has
stores, two theaters and an art center. There is also a camp area where visitors can see how British soldiers lived
during colonial times. The soldiers were sent to Roanoke Island several years before the colonists. They set up a
military settlement that later failed. People visiting this recreated camp area can learn from historians¹⁸ how the
soldiers made weapons from wood and metal. They can also learn about the food soldiers ate, how they talked
and the games they played.

VOICE ONE:

The most interesting part of Roanoke Island Festival Park is a ship called the Elizabeth Two. This is a
representation¹⁹ of a sixteenth-century ship called the Elizabeth. The Elizabeth was one of seven small ships used
to transport the colonists to Roanoke Island. The recreated Elizabeth Two is twenty-one meters long and five
meters wide. There is also a smaller, seven-meter long boat called the Silver Chalice²⁰. This represents the kind of
boat the colonists used to carry their supplies from the large ship to land.

Historians working on the boats tell stories about the long, difficult trip the colonists made from Britain to North
Carolina. The Elizabeth Two is also a working ship. Two times a year a small crew sails it to other ports along
the Atlantic coast.

((MUSIC BRIDGE ))


VOICE TWO:

The mystery of the Lost Colony has never been solved. Yet, over the years, several theories developed to explain
what happened to the colonists. Some people believe the settlers did, in fact, go to live among the Croatoan
Indians. Others believe the colonists settled with the Pembrook Indians in the southeast part of what is now North
Carolina. Several historians think that the settlement split²¹ into two groups after Governor White returned to
England. They say the larger group traveled north to the Chesapeake Bay where the colonists had first planned to
settle.

VOICE ONE:

The most interesting theory about the Lost Colony developed nearly seventy years ago. In Nineteen-Thirty-
Seven, a rock was discovered about ninety-six kilometers west of Roanoke Island. It was covered with writing
that many people thought was a message from Eleanor Dare to her father. The message reportedly said that the
colonists fled Roanoke after an Indian attack.

During the next three years, nearly forty similar rocks were discovered. When put together, they told a great story
about how the colonists traveled southeast, and how Eleanor Dare died in Fifteen-Ninety-Nine. Many historians
did not believe the story, but the media did. In time, however, an investigative reporter discovered the whole
story was false, a trick.

VOICE TWO:

Each year, historians, researchers, scientists and visitors travel to Roanoke Island. They go with the hope of
discovering new evidence about what happened to the Lost Colony. Yet, so far, no new signs have been
uncovered²². The Lost Colony remains²³ a mystery
–
much like the events that took place there more than four-
hundred years ago.

((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Jill Moss. It was produced by Caty Weaver²⁴. This is Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Steve Ember. Join us again for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special
English program THIS IS AMERICA. Next week, we tell about Jamestown
–
the first successful colony in
America.

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1 colony   

n.殖民地；(同类人的)聚居地

参考例句：

• There lived a colony of bees on the tree.树上生活着一群蜜蜂。
• They live in an artists'colony.他们住在艺术家聚居区。

2 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

3 colonists   

n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 farther   

adj.更远的，进一步的；adv.更远的，此外；far的比较级

参考例句：

• I can throw the ball farther than you can.这个球我能比你扔得远。
• The farther hill is five kilometres away.那座更远的小山在五公里以外。

5 mainland   

n.大陆，本土

参考例句：

• The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.新的桥梁将把该岛与大陆连接在一起。
• Hong Kong's prosperity relies heavily on mainland.香港的繁荣在很大程度上依赖于大陆。

6 oak   

n.栎树，橡树，栎木，橡木

参考例句：

• The chair is of solid oak.这把椅子是纯橡木的。
• The carpenter will floor this room with oak.木匠将用橡木铺设这个房间的地板。

7 governor   

n.统治者，地方长官(如省长，州长，总督等)

参考例句：

• The governor was an expert at fencing with reporters.这位州长是搪塞新闻记者的能手。
• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

10 fort   

n.要塞，堡垒，碉堡

参考例句：

• The fort can not be defended against an air attack.这座要塞遭到空袭时无法防御。
• No one can get into the fort without a pass.没有通行证，任何人不得进入要塞。

11 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

12 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

13 secure   

adj.无虑的，安心的，安全的；adj.牢靠的，稳妥的；vt.固定，获得，使...安全；vi.(海上工作人员)停止工；vi.(船)抛锚，停泊

参考例句：

• He found a secure foothold and pulled himself up.他找到了一个稳固的踏脚处并爬了上去。
• Extra men are needed to secure the camp against attack.需要增加兵力以保护军营免受攻击。

14 colonial   

adj.殖民地的，关于殖民的；n.殖民地，居民

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule.非洲人民成功地反抗了殖民统治。

15 fireplace   

n.壁炉，炉灶

参考例句：

• The fireplace smokes badly.这壁炉冒烟太多。
• I think we should wall up the fireplace.我想应该封住壁炉。

16 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

17 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

18 historians   

n.历史学家，史学工作者( historian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Historians seem to have confused the chronology of these events. 历史学家好像把这些事件发生的年代顺序搞混了。
• Historians have concurred with each other in this view. 历史学家在这个观点上已取得一致意见。

19 representation   

n.表现某人（或某事物）的东西，图画，雕塑

参考例句：

• The painting is a representation of a storm at sea.这幅画描绘的是海上的暴风雨。
• All parties won representation in the national assembly.所有政党在国民大会中都赢得了代表资格。

20 chalice   

n.圣餐杯；金杯毒酒

参考例句：

• He inherited a poisoned chalice when he took over the job as union leader.他接手工会领导职务，看似风光，实则会给他带来很多麻烦。
• She was essentially feminine,in other words,a parasite and a chalice.她在本质上是个女人，换句话说，是一个食客和一只酒杯。

21 split   

n.劈开，裂片，裂口；adj.分散的；v.分离，分开，劈开

参考例句：

• Who told you that Mary and I had split up?谁告诉你玛丽和我已经离婚了？
• The teacher split the class up into six groups.老师把班级分成6个小组。

22 uncovered   

adj.无盖的，未保险的v.揭开…的盖子( uncover的过去式和过去分词 )；揭露，发现

参考例句：

• His head was uncovered. 他光着头。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police. 暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

24 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。