America Unearthed (2012–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Mystery of Roanoke - full transcript

- THE HISTORY THAT
WE WERE ALL TAUGHT GROWING UP

IS WRONG.

MY NAME IS SCOTT WOLTER,

AND I'M A FORENSIC GEOLOGIST.

THERE'S A HIDDEN HISTORY
IN THIS COUNTRY

THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT.

THERE ARE PYRAMIDS HERE...

CHAMBERS, TOMBS, INSCRIPTIONS.

THEY'RE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY.

WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE
THESE ARTIFACTS AND SITES,

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET
TO THE TRUTH.



SOMETIMES HISTORY

ISN'T WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD.

AMERICA UNEARTHED - SEASON 1
EP - 7 - Mystery of Roanoke

MANY PEOPLE
THINK THEY KNOW THE STORY

OF THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.

BUT CHANCES ARE
THEY DON'T KNOW THIS...

48 CLUES TO THE CASE

THAT HAVE BEEN SITTING UNTOUCHED

FOR HALF A CENTURY,

48 STONES
INSCRIBED WITH MESSAGES

THAT COULD TELL US
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED

TO THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.

THEY'RE CALLED THE DARE STONES.

ALLEGEDLY CARVED
BY COLONIST ELEANOR DARE,



THEY WERE SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH...

A TRAIL OF CLUES
TO THE SETTLERS' FATE.

ALL OF THE STONES WERE FOUND
DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION

OVER A PERIOD
OF JUST FOUR YEARS.

THE SHORT TIME FRAME OF
DISCOVERY FOR SO MANY ARTIFACTS

LED SCHOLARS
TO DECLARE THEM FAKES.

BUT ACADEMICS
HAVE BEEN WRONG BEFORE,

AND THAT'S WHY I'M GOING
TO STUDY THEM MYSELF.

- THIS IS THE ORIGINAL
DARE STONE

UND IN 1937.

- JIM, THIS IS AN AMAZING STONE.

CAN YOU TELL ME...
WHAT DOES IT SAY?

- IT TALKS ABOUT
THE DIFFICULT TIMES THEY HAD

FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS OR SO.

THERE WAS MISERY,

AND THEY WERE ATTACKED
BY INDIANS.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
KILLED.

- WOW.

- THE FRONT OF THE STONE
HAS A CROSS AT THE TOP,

AND UNDERNEATH, IT SAYS,
"ANANIAS DARE AND VIRGINIA

WENT HENCE UNTO HEAVEN, 1591."

- I CAN READ THAT
PRETTY EASILY HERE.

ONCE YOU TELL IT,
IT'S RIGHT THERE, OKAY.

- AND THEN ON THE BOTTOM,

"ANY ENGLISHMAN SHOW JOHN WHITE
GOVERNOR, VIRGINIA."

- JOHN WHITE
IS ELEANOR DARE'S FATHER.

AND WHEN THE COLONISTS
HIT HARD TIMES,

HE GOES BACK TO ENGLAND

TO ASK HIS BOSS,
SIR WALTER RALEIGH,

FOR MORE SUPPLIES.

WHEN WHITE FINALLY RETURNS,

EVERYONE HAD DISAPPEARED.

SO TELL ME, WHAT IS
THE CONSENSUS OF OPINION?

IS THIS REAL OR NOT?

- THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT
THIS STONE IS FRAUDULENT.

IF THIS STONE
WERE CONSIDERED TO BE AUTHENTIC,

THEN ALL THE AMERICAN HISTORY
TEXTBOOKS

WOULD INCLUDE THIS STORY
OF WHAT HAPPENED

TO THE LOST COLONY.

- OKAY.
- BUT THEY DO NOT.

- WELL, MAYBE THEY SHOULD.

THAT'S WHAT I INTEND
TO FIND OUT.

IF FORENSIC GEOLOGY
SHOWS SIGNIFICANT WEATHERING,

THEN THERE'S A CHANCE
THIS STONE IS AUTHENTIC

AND THAT ELEANOR DARE
REALLY DID CARVE THIS CLUE.

MY CURSORY LOOK AT THIS ROCK...

IT LOOKS LIKE A QUARTZITE.

- YES.

- SO QUARTZITE IS VERY HARD,
VERY DURABLE.

IT REALLY DOESN'T
CHEMICALLY WEATHER.

IT WILL PHYSICALLY WEATHER,

BUT IT'S REALLY
NOT GOING TO GIVE US

A NICE LINEAR WEATHERING PROFILE

THAT WE MIGHT WITH OTHER ROCKS.

WHAT I WANT TO DO IS GENERATE
A THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE

SO WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT
THE PROFILE OF THIS GROOVE.

OKAY, SO IT'S A NICE
ROUNDED GROOVE.

AND WE CAN ADD SOME COLOR,

AND THE BLUE
IS THE LOWER DEPTHS, OF COURSE,

AND THE RED
IS THE TOPOGRAPHIC HIGHS.

SO WE CAN GET A NICE IMAGE HERE.

WE CAN GET
SOME INDICATION OF AGE

BY LOOKING AT WHAT WE CALL
COATINGS OR SECONDARY DEPOSITS

THAT GET LAID DOWN
BOTH ON THE SURFACE

AND DOWN INTO THE CRACKS
AND IN BETWEEN THE CRYSTALS.

IF YOU LOOK...
YOU SEE THESE RED RUST AREAS?

- YES.

- SOMETIMES YOU'LL GENERATE

A MINERAL CALLED PYRITE,

AND WHEN IT WEATHERS,
YOU GET RUST.

- YES.
- OKAY.

AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL
EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE ROCK,

BUT IF WE LOOK IN THE GROOVES,

IT GETS LIGHTER, MORE WHITE,

SO YOU'RE GETTING NOW INTO
THE FRESH, UNWEATHERED ROCK.

IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT RUST.
- YES.

- SO THAT, TO ME,
WOULD BE CONSISTENT

WITH HAVING BEEN IN THE GROUND
FOR A WHILE.

- SURE.

- I HAVE TO SAY, JIM,

RIGHT NOW,
I LIKE STONE NUMBER 1.

I'M LEANING TOWARDS
AUTHENTICITY.

- VERY GOOD.

I SAID, IN 1979, IN AN INTERVIEW

THAT I THOUGHT
THERE WAS A 50/50 CHANCE

THAT THIS STONE WAS AUTHENTIC.

BUT MAYBE YOU'VE GIVEN ME
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE HERE.

- EVEN THOUGH THIS DARE STONE,
THE FIRST ONE FOUND,

LOOKS AUTHENTIC TO ME,
I NEED TO SEE ALL THE OTHERS.

THIS IS WHERE
YOU KEEP THEM HIDDEN, HUH?

IF I SEE THE SAME LEVEL
OF WEATHERING

ON THE OTHER 47 STONES
AS I DID ON THE FIRST,

THEN THEY MIGHT BE
LEGITIMATE CLUES

TO THE LOST COLONY.

AND THOSE CLUES
PAINT A GRISLY PICTURE

OF COLONIAL LIFE...

SICKNESS,

MISERY,

AND FINALLY, MURDER.

- WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT,
ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME
RIGHT AWAY...

THIS GEOLOGY HERE, HERE,
HERE, AND HERE

IS DIFFERENT
THAN THE OTHER STONE

WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT.

THE FACT THAT I'M SEEING
THESE DIFFERENT ROCK TYPES

COULD MEAN THEY'RE MORE LIKELY
TO BE GENUINE.

IT MAKES ME THINK
THEY WERE CARVED

IN THE AREAS
WHERE THEY WERE FOUND.

THIS ONE HERE
HAS WHAT LOOKS LIKE

SOME ORGANIC MATERIAL AND MUD

THAT MIGHT HAVE COLLECTED
OVER TIME,

AND IT'S IN THE GROOVES.

THIS ONE ALSO DOES,

AND I SUPPOSE
IF WE LOOKED AT THE OTHERS,

WE MIGHT SEE EVIDENCE THAT
THESE THINGS WERE UNDERWATER...

MAYBE DURING FLOOD TIMES.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

I MEAN...

THAT LOOKS WEATHERED.

I MEAN, JUST MY GUT FEEL...
IT JUST LOOKS WEATHERED.

AS DOES THIS ONE.

I MEAN, MY GOD,
THAT'S WEATHERED LIKE CRAZY.

- INTERESTING.

- I TELL YOU WHAT,

AFTER LOOKING
AT THESE STONES IN HERE,

I'M... I'M LIKING WHAT I'M SEEING.

DO WE HAVE A MAP

THAT SHOWS WHERE
THESE ARTIFACTS WERE FOUND?

- YES.
- OKAY.

- THERE'S A MAP
SHOWING THE LOCATIONS.

HERE'S THE ORIGINAL SETTLEMENT,
ROANOKE,

AND ABOUT 60, 80 MILES AWAY,
THE ORIGINAL STONE WAS FOUND.

AND THEN SOUTHWEST,

DOWN TO GREENVILLE,
SOUTH CAROLINA,

15 MORE STONES WERE FOUND.

REMAINING 33 STONES

WERE FOUND NORTH OF ATLANTA,
PRIMARILY.

- HAVE PEOPLE QUESTIONED
WHY THESE ARE SPREAD OUT

OVER SUCH A LARGE DISTANCE?

- PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD

OF THIS MANY STONES FOUND
OVER SUCH A LONG DISTANCE.

- THE COUNTER TO THAT WOULD BE...

HERE'S WHERE THEY WERE FOUND.

SOMETHING
MUST HAVE COMPELLED THEM

TO TRAVEL THAT GREAT DISTANCE,

AND, YOU KNOW,
AT THAT TIME AND PLACE...

A STRANDED COLONY...

YOU CAN IMAGINE
ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING IS,
IT SEEMS...

STARTING AT ROANOKE,
IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE HAVE

A BREADCRUMB TRAIL
OF THESE STONES

LEADING TO WHEREVER
THEY ENDED UP.

GOD. THIS IS AMAZING.

SO FAR, I DON'T SEE ANY EVIDENCE
THAT THE DARE STONES ARE FAKE.

I THINK IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER CASE
WHERE HISTORY HAS IT WRONG.

THESE STONES COULD SPELL OUT
WHERE THE COLONISTS WENT

AND HOW THEY DIED.

BUT WHY WOULD THEY TRAVEL
SO FAR INLAND?

BEFORE I CAN UNDERSTAND
THE END OF THE STORY,

I NEED TO TRAVEL
BACK TO THE BEGINNING,

THE PLACE WHERE THE COLONISTS
WERE LAST SEEN ALIVE.

THERE HAVE GOT TO BE CLUES HERE,

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THEY ARE.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT RIGHT NOW
I HAVE A PUZZLE

WHERE NONE OF THE PIECES
SEEM TO FIT.

SO, ROB, I JUST GOT BACK
FROM LOOKING AT THE DARE STONES.

AND GEOLOGICALLY,
I REALLY LIKED WHAT I SAW.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS,

MOST OF THESE STONES
WERE CARVED BY ELEANOR DARE.

AND ON ONE OF THE STONES,
SHE CHRONICLES THE DEATH

OF HER HUSBAND
AND HER CHILD VIRGINIA.

NOW, WAS IT TRUE THAT VIRGINIA
WAS BORN AT THIS SITE?

- THAT IS THE CASE,

THAT SHE WAS BORN
ON ROANOKE ISLAND.

- OKAY.

SO WHEN THE COLONISTS
FIRST GOT HERE,

WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE HAD
FOR RESOURCES?

- A LOT OF TIMBERS
FOR MAKING SHIPS,

MAKING HOUSES AND FURNITURE,

AND THERE'S ALSO
MEDICINAL PLANTS,

SUCH AS THAT SASSAFRAS
WE SEE OVER THERE

AT THE BASE OF THAT PINE TREE.

- OKAY, I THOUGHT THEY USED THAT
FOR ROOT BEER,

BUT ACTUALLY, YOU'RE TELLING ME
MEDICINAL PURPOSES, OKAY.

SO THERE'S THE BIG QUESTION,
ROB.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COLONISTS?

I KNOW THERE'S
A LOT OF THEORIES OUT THERE,

BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK?

- IF THEY LEFT HERE
IN AN ORGANIZED WAY,

EVENTUALLY,
THEY'RE GOING TO FALL PREY

TO AN ATTACK BY NATIVE PEOPLE;

TO BAD WEATHER,
LIKE A HURRICANE,

IF THEY'RE TRAVELING
ACROSS THE WATER.

- OKAY.

- CHANCES ARE, THE SURVIVORS

WOULD HAVE ASSIMILATED
INTO LOCAL NATIVE TRIBES.

- SO THIS BRINGS UP
THE WHOLE NOTION

OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS

AND THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT THEY HAD WITH THEM.

WAS IT CONTENTIOUS? WAS IT GOOD?

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT?

- NOT A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

THEY'RE FINDING THAT
THEY'RE NOT WELCOME HERE.

IN FACT, IF YOU STRAY
TOO FAR AWAY FROM YOUR GROUP,

YOU'RE GOING TO LIKELY
GET KILLED.

AND THERE WAS ONE COLONIST
WE KNOW OF

WHO DID STRAY AWAY
TWO MILES ALONG THE SHORE,

CRABBING,

AND HE'S FOUND LATER,
AND HE'S NOT ALIVE.

THEY WOULD LEARN THE HARD WAY,
REALLY.

- CLEARLY,
THINGS DIDN'T GO AS PLANNED.

I MEAN,
WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT.

I KEEP LOOKING DOWN
THE AXIS OF THIS THING HERE,

WHICH, WHEN I LOOK AT
THE ENCLOSING WALLS,

I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE
A DEFENSIVE POSTURE

AND MAYBE A LOOKOUT OR...

WHAT DO WE THINK THIS WAS?

- YES, THAT PROTRUSION

THAT GOES OUT
FROM THE REST OF THE EARTHWORKS

IS GOING TO BE A GOOD PLACE
TO POST SOMEONE

AND KEEP NOTE OF ANYTHING

THAT MIGHT BE WORTH
GETTING CONCERNED ABOUT.

- YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT
THIS STRUCTURE AND THESE WALLS,

THIS HAS AN INTERESTING,
ALMOST GEOMETRIC SHAPE TO IT.

WELL, THERE'S AN INTELLIGENCE,
OBVIOUSLY,

BUT A STRATEGY BEHIND THE WAY
THAT THEY BUILT THIS FORT.

- HERE'S THAT PROTRUSION
THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.

THERE'S THE GATE.

- AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

THERE DEFINITELY
IS THE GEOMETRY HERE.

IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE A DIAMOND.
WOW.

ALL RIGHT,
WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR?

WE KNOW THAT JOHN WHITE
WENT BACK TO EUROPE,

AND THREE YEARS LATER,
HE CAME BACK,

AND THEY WERE GONE.

WHAT OTHER CLUES DO WE HAVE

THAT TELL US ANYTHING
ABOUT THE COLONY

THAT WAS FOUND HERE?

- WE'VE GOT THE CLUES

LEFT BEHIND BY THOSE COLONISTS,
EVIDENTLY:

LARGE LETTERS, C-R-O-A-T-O-A-N,

ALONG THE NORTH SHORELINE
ON A PALISADE POST

THAT SURROUNDED THE LOCATION
OF THE HOUSES.

- SO THE WORD "CROATOAN"
WAS CARVED INTO A POST

HERE AT ROANOKE.

I KNOW CROATOAN WAS THE NAME
OF A NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE

WHO WAS FRIENDLY
TO THE COLONISTS.

AND IT WAS ALSO A PHYSICAL PLACE
SOMEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

MAYBE THIS IS WHERE
THE COLONISTS WENT

AFTER THEY LEFT ROANOKE.

ONE THING IS FOR SURE:

I NEED TO CHECK IT OUT

AND GET SOME ANSWERS.

- MY INVESTIGATION
INTO THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE

BEGAN WITH THE DARE STONES,

48 STONES WITH MESSAGES

THAT COULD BE CLUES

TELLING US WHAT HAPPENED

TO AMERICA'S
FIRST EUROPEAN SETTLERS.

SOME PEOPLE THINK THE STONES
WERE PART OF AN ELABORATE HOAX.

BUT THE WEATHERING
OF THE INSCRIPTIONS

SUGGEST, TO ME, THEY'RE GENUINE.

ANOTHER CLUE TO THE CASE
CROPPED UP

IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION
OF WHERE THE STONES WHERE FOUND,

THE WORD "CROATOAN"
CARVED IN A POST.

I'M ON MY WAY TO WHAT WAS ONCE
CROATOAN ISLAND,

TODAY KNOWN AS HATTERAS ISLAND.

I NEED TO KNOW IF THE COLONISTS
ACTUALLY CAME HERE

AND, IF THEY DID,

HOW THIS CLUE CONNECTS
WITH THE DARE STONES.

- HOW YOU DOING? SCOTT DAWSON.

I PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER.
- OKAY, SCOTT.

- WONDER IF YOU HAD
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

- THIS IS A GREAT DISPLAY HERE.

I'M A FORENSIC GEOLOGIST,

AND I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING
THE DARE STONES

AND THE LOST COLONY.

THEY MENTIONED THAT SOME CLUES
MIGHT BE FOUND HERE.

I GUESS THERE WAS A CARVING
LEFT BY THE COLONISTS.

- SURE, THE COLONISTS, IN 1587,

CARVED OUT THE WORD "CROATOAN"
ON A PALISADE.

AND A PALISADE IS A CIRCLE

OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE
TELEPHONE POLES OR TREES

THAT WENT AROUND
WHERE THE SETTLEMENT WAS

TO PROTECT IT.

AND SO THE MOST OBVIOUS PLACE
TO LEAVE A MESSAGE

WOULD BE ON A PALISADE,

AND THAT'S WHY
THEY PUT IT THERE.

AND CROATOAN IS THE NAME
OF THE ISLAND WE'RE ON NOW,

WHICH IS ACTUALLY
WHERE THE ENGLISH

HAD LIVED AND TRADED.

- NOW THEY CALL IT HATTERAS,
RIGHT?

- THEY CALL IT HATTERAS NOW.
- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

- AND WE'VE BEEN DIGGING
ON THE CROATOAN VILLAGE

FOR FOUR YEARS NOW AND...

BUT I HAVE SOME THINGS

THAT YOU'D PROBABLY
BE INTERESTED IN.

- I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM.

THAT'D BE AWESOME.

- THESE ARE GLASS TRADE BEADS.

AND THEY STARTED MAKING THEM
AROUND 1550.

AND WE KNOW THAT THE ENGLISH

BROUGHT LOTS AND LOTS
OF THESE THINGS

OVER TO TRADE TO GET DEERSKINS
AND PEARLS AND TOBACCO.

- SO THESE ARE DATABLE ITEMS,
RIGHT?

- THESE HAVE A DATABLE RANGE,
SO THEY'RE PRIOR TO 1650.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW
EXACTLY HOW OLD THEY ARE.

- SURE.

- THIS GLASS, HOWEVER,

THEY QUIT MAKING THIS GLASS
IN 1600.

AND YOU CAN TELL
IT'S BEEN WORKED AND SNIPPED

WITH IRON TOOLS.

- OH, KNAPPED?

KIND OF LIKE AN ARROWHEAD?

- RIGHT. EXACTLY.
- ALL RIGHT.

- NOW, THIS TYPE OF GLASS
WOULD BE IN A WINDOW.

IT'S WINDOW GLASS.

- WOW. COOL.

SO WE HAVE HERE ARTIFACTS

THAT ARE FOUND
IN THE TIME PERIOD,

BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
THAT IS A DEADLOCK,

IF YOU WILL,
CONNECTION TO THE LOST COLONY?

- THAT IS CORRECT.

WE HAVE NOT FOUND

VIRGINIA DARE'S PINKIE RING

OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

BUT, FOR ME, THE PROOF

IS NOT IN THE ARCHEOLOGY.

IT'S COMMON SENSE.

THEY WENT TO CROATOAN,

AS THEY INDICATED.

YOU'VE GOT A SITUATION

THAT THESE COLONISTS
ARE WALKING INTO

WHERE THE INDIANS ON
THE MAINLAND WANT TO KILL THEM

AND HAVE ATTACKED
AND KILLED THEM TWICE.

AND THEY ACTUALLY...

HE CAME TO THIS ISLAND
TO GET HELP.

- YOU DON'T REALLY THINK
THEY WERE LOST, DO YOU?

- NO, I-I THINK
THEY WERE NEVER LOST.

THEY CAME TO CROATOAN.

- THE PROBLEM WITH YOUR THESIS,

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,

IS THAT WE HAVE THE DARE STONES

STANDING SQUARELY
IN THE WAY OF THAT.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME

IS THAT YOU'VE GOT
A PRETTY COMPELLING STORY.

YOU'VE GOT DOCUMENTS.
YOU'VE GOT ARTIFACTS.

AND YET WE HAVE THE DARE STONES

THAT STAND IN CONFLICT
WITH THAT.

SO, TO ME, WHAT SEEMS TO BE

A LOGICAL EXPLANATION FOR THAT

IS THAT PERHAPS THEY SPLIT UP...

- THE DARE STONES ARE FAKE.
- WELL...

- TO ME,
THAT'S THE LOGICAL EXPLANATION.

- THAT'S FINE. THAT'S FINE.

- 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONE THING
THAT DOESN'T FIT, IS THE STONE.

SO ALL OF THIS IS WRONG,
AND THE STONE IS CORRECT.

OR ALL OF THIS IS CORRECT,
AND THE STONE IS FAKE.

- NO.
THERE'S ANOTHER EXPLANATION.

THEY SPLIT UP.

WE HAVE A STRONG
EVIDENTIARY TRAIL

THAT LEADS
TO THIS PARTY SPLITTING UP:

ONE GOING WEST,
THE OTHER COMING SOUTH.

THAT'S WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.

- DON'T KNOW MUCH
ABOUT THE STONES.

I DON'T PUT A LOT OF WEIGHT

INTO THINGS
THAT COME AFTER THE FACT.

YOU CAN ARGUE THAT THEY SPLIT UP
AND THESE DIFFERENT THINGS,

AND ALL OF THAT
IS JUST SPECULATION.

BUT AS FAR AS
WHAT IS WRITTEN DOWN

AND WHAT MAKES LOGICAL SENSE,

GOING WEST DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

- THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN DO
IS TESTIFY TO FACTUAL EVIDENCE.

THE WHOLE THING ABOUT,

"WELL, YOU KNOW
AT THAT TIME IN 1937

WHEN THAT STONE WAS FOUND,
THERE WERE ALL THESE STORIES."

ROMANTICISM, ALL THAT STUFF,
IS IRRELEVANT.

FACTS ARE THE THINGS
THAT CARRY...

NO, THEY ARE IRRELEVANT.

IN A COURT OF LAW,
THEY'RE IRRELEVANT.

AND SO IF THE FACTS
STAND IN THE WAY OF SPECULATION,

THE FACTS WIN.

THE DARE STONES SUGGEST
THAT SOMEBODY,

INCLUDING ELEANOR DARE,

WENT WEST
FROM THE ROANOKE COLONY.

SO UNTIL WE CAN CLEAR THAT UP,

WE HAVE TO INVESTIGATE.

HI, HONEY. - HI, SCOTTY.

HOW'S NORTH CAROLINA?

- WELL, IT'S A LITTLE OVERCAST
RIGHT NOW.

BUT I SHOULD BE
HEADING OUT OF HERE,

COMING YOUR WAY SOON.

- GOOD, GOOD.

WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT

ABOUT THE LOST COLONY?

- I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

I HAD A CHANCE
TO LOOK AT THE DARE STONES.

AND THEY ARE AMAZING.

I DIDN'T HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS
GOING INTO IT,

BUT THE GEOLOGY WAS VARIED.

THE WEATHERING
OF THE INSCRIPTIONS WAS VARIED.

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU,

IF I HAD TO MAKE A CALL TODAY,

I WOULD SAY
THEY LOOK GENUINE TO ME.

- REALLY? WOW. THAT'S AMAZING.

- THE DOWNSIDE IS,

I WAS A LITTLE PISSED OFF
WITH ONE OF THE GUYS

THAT I RAN INTO

WHO WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING

I HAD TO SAY
ABOUT THE DARE STONES

OR THE GEOLOGY.

HE WAS TOTALLY CONVINCED

THAT THE COLONISTS CAME DOWN

SOUTH OF ROANOKE TO HIS AREA

AND ABSOLUTELY WAS CLOSED-MINDED

TO ANY OF THE GEOLOGIC WORK.

SO THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING.

- OH, I BET. THAT WOULD BE.
- YEAH.

- WELL, I MIGHT HAVE
ANOTHER CLUE FOR YOU.

- OH, YEAH? WHAT'S THAT?

- DID YOU GET MY EMAIL?
- NO, I DIDN'T.

LET ME JUST PULL UP
MY COMPUTER HERE.

- I JUST READ THIS
IN THE MORNING PAPER.

IT'S HOT OFF THE PRESS.

YOU'LL WANT TO SEE THIS.

- "ANCIENT MAP
COULD SOLVE COLONY COLD CASE."

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

- THIS MAP WAS DRAWN
BY THE COLONY'S GOVERNOR,

JOHN WHITE.

- OH, YEAH.

- AND IT'S JUST BEEN SITTING

IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM
ALL THIS TIME.

AND SOMEONE NOTICED
THAT THERE'S A PATCH

PLACED OVER
PART OF NORTH CAROLINA.

- A PATCH?
- YEAH.

IT MIGHT BE HIDING SOMETHING
UNDERNEATH THERE.

IT SAYS RIGHT HERE:

"THIS MAP MAY HOLD THE ANSWER

TO ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
MYSTERIES IN AMERICAN HISTORY."

WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT.

IF THAT'S TRUE,
I NEED TO SEE IT.

I MEAN, THIS COULD BE

THE NEXT CLUE THAT I NEED.

I GUESS I'M NOT COMING HOME
RIGHT NOW AFTER ALL.

I'M GOING TO ENGLAND.

- I'M INVESTIGATING
THE DISAPPEARANCE

OF THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.

AND SO FAR,
I'VE FOLLOWED UP ON TWO LEADS:

FIRST, THE DARE STONES,

48 STONES CARVED WITH CLUES

THAT SUGGEST THE COLONISTS

ABANDONED THEIR SETTLEMENT
AND MOVED WEST;

THE SECOND, THE WORD "CROATOAN"
CARVED ON A POST,

WHICH COULD MEAN THEY WENT EAST,

THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION
OF THE DARE STONES.

NOW I'M FOLLOWING A NEW LEAD.

MY WIFE, JANET,
TOLD ME ABOUT A MAP

DRAWN BY THE COLONIST GOVERNOR
JOHN WHITE

THAT COULD TURN
THIS WHOLE INVESTIGATION

ON ITS HEAD.

APPARENTLY, THERE'S
A MYSTERIOUS PATCH ON A MAP

DRAWN BY JOHN WHITE
HERE IN ENGLAND.

AND I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT'S UNDERNEATH IT.

MAYBE FOR THE LAST 400 YEARS,

EVERYONE HAS BEEN LOOKING
FOR THE LOST COLONISTS

IN THE WRONG PLACE.

SO, DR. PRATT,

I'VE BEEN INVESTIGATING

THE LOST ROANOKE COLONY.

AND I SPENT SOME TIME

LOOKING AT THE DARE STONES.

- MM-HMM.

- THEY'RE A BUNCH OF STONES

THAT HAD BEEN FOUND
BEGINNING IN 1937

UP THROUGH 1940.

UP TO 48 STONES THAT,
MOST OF THEM,

WERE CARVED BY ELEANOR DARE,

THAT TELL THE STORY

OF THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.

- I'VE HEARD ABOUT THEM.
- OKAY.

I WAS LOOKING TO SEE

IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE
OF FORGERIES

MANY PEOPLE HAVE CLAIMED,

AND I DIDN'T SEE THAT.

- I THINK YOU CAN TELL FAKES
PRETTY QUICKLY.

- OH, YEAH.
- YOU KNOW?

YOU CAN SEE WHERE THINGS
HAVE BEEN ADDED

OR WEATHERED ARTIFICIALLY.

I REALLY BELIEVE
IT'S PRETTY EASY TO TELL IF...

- WELL, I KNOW
IT'S EASY TO TELL,

BECAUSE I HAVE LOOKED AT FAKES.

AND THE FAKES
REVEAL THEMSELVES QUICKLY.

IT'S THE ONES THAT ARE REAL
THAT SEEM TO HANG AROUND.

PEOPLE NEVER QUITE GET IT RIGHT.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO KNOW TODAY

AND TALK ABOUT YOUR AREA
OF EXPERTISE

IS ABOUT THIS MAP
THAT JOHN WHITE MADE.

AND CAN YOU TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT MAP?

- WELL, IT'S CALLED
THE VIRGINEA PA MAP.

AND I BELIEVE THAT MEANS
"VIRGINIA COUNTRY"

IN TRANSLATION.

AND IT IS PROBABLY
ONE OF THE EARLIEST

AND MOST ACCURATE
FOR THAT PERIOD.

THEY'VE ACTUALLY LAID

A MODERN-DAY MAP
OVER THE TOP OF IT,

AND IT'S VERY, VERY SIMILAR,

EVEN WITH ALL THE SHIFTING
OF THE SAND, SO...

- IT'S REALLY ACCURATE.

- THAT MAKES THE PERSON
WHO MADE IT

QUITE AN EXTRAORDINARY
CHARACTER,

AND THAT'S JOHN WHITE.

AND IT'S PROBABLY DATED

SOMETIME BETWEEN 1585 AND 1590,

WHEN IT WAS ENGRAVED.

HERE WE HAVE A COPY OF THE MAP
FOR US TO LOOK AT.

SO WE CAN SEE
THE WHOLE COASTLINE

STARTING UP HERE
IN THE VIRGINIA AREA

AND COMING DOWN
INTO NORTH CAROLINA.

THIS IS ALBEMARLE SOUND
AND THE CHOWAN RIVER.

AND THEN ALSO INDICATING
ROANOKE ISLAND, CROATOAN...

- IN RED.

- IN RED TO SHOW

THAT THESE MIGHT BE
FRIENDLY AREAS

WHERE THE INDIANS
WERE MORE FRIENDLY.

- OKAY, RIGHT AT THE JUNCTION
OF THESE TWO RIVERS,

WHAT'S THAT?

- YES, THAT'S THE PATCH,

WHICH HAS RECENTLY
COME TO LIGHT.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT
AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME DETAILS
HERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE,

THROUGH X-RAY ANALYSIS,

THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING

UNDERNEATH THAT PATCH.

- THERE IS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

IF I LOOK CLOSE ON HERE,

I CAN SEE SOMETHING.

IT LOOKS LIKE A PATTERN.
- THAT'S RIGHT.

SEE, THE X-RAY ANALYSIS

WILL REVEAL
THE DRAWING UNDERNEATH,

WHICH IS... LOOKS LIKE
A SORT OF A SHAPE OF A...

A STAR SHAPE.

- WITH FOUR CORNERS.
YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE.

I'VE SEEN SOMETHING
VERY SIMILAR.

IT WAS ON ROANOKE ISLAND.

NOW, THIS IS
MY FIRST INITIAL SKETCH.

- OH, THAT'S INTERESTING.
THAT'S VERY SIMILAR.

- THAT KIND OF LOOKS FAMILIAR,
DOESN'T IT?

THIS WAS THE ENTRANCE BACK THEN.

AND THERE WAS A PUSHOUT HERE

THEY THOUGHT WAS
FOR DEFENSE PURPOSES

AND A LOOKOUT TYPE OF THING.

COULD THAT HAVE BEEN A FORT?

- WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY
A POSSIBILITY.

CERTAINLY, LOOKING
FROM AN AERIAL PERSPECTIVE,

THAT WOULD FOLLOW
THE SHAPE OF THE FORT.

- BUT WAIT A MINUTE HERE.

OKAY, SO COULD THIS MAP

INDICATE THAT THE COLONISTS
MOVED INLAND

AND DID NOT GO DOWN TO CROATOAN

OR MAYBE PLAN TO GO THERE
AT SOME POINT?

- YEAH, I THINK
THAT'S A REASONABLE SUPPOSITION

THAT IT'S MORE PROTECTED INLAND.

- IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE
FROM A STRATEGIC POINT AS WELL.

RIGHT NOW,
THERE ARE A LOT OF LOCATIONS

WITH CLUES
ABOUT THE LOST COLONY.

THERE ARE THE 48 DARE STONES,

FOUND SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST

IN NORTH CAROLINA,
SOUTH CAROLINA, AND GEORGIA.

THEN THERE'S
THE ORIGINAL FORT SITE

ON THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA.

THERE'S CROATOAN,

THE ISLAND THAT CORRESPONDS

WITH THE CLUE JOHN WHITE FOUND
CARVED ON A POST.

AND FINALLY, FURTHER INLAND,

IS THE SPOT
WHERE THE VIRGINEA PARS MAP

SHOWS A HIDDEN FORT.

WHY WOULD IT
HAVE BEEN COVERED UP?

- BECAUSE THERE
WAS HUGE COMPETITION

BETWEEN ENGLAND AND SPAIN
AT THIS TIME,

AND SPANISH SHIPS
WERE IN THE AREA

LOOKING FOR ENGLISH.

SO THE IDEA THAT THE ENGLISH

WERE GETTING AHEAD
OF THE SPANISH

BY MAKING COLONIES HERE

WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS.

SO I THINK COVERING UP SOMETHING
LIKE A FORT WOULD MAKE SENSE.

- YOU KNOW, STEPHANIE,

BOTH THE DARE STONES
AND THIS MAP SUGGEST,

IN MY MIND, THAT THE COLONISTS
HAD TO HAVE GONE INLAND.

IF SO, WHY DID THEY DO THAT?

COULD IT HAVE BEEN
BECAUSE OF THE NATIVES,

THEY WERE IN DANGER FROM THEM?

OR IT COULD IT HAVE BEEN
SOME WELL LAID-OUT PLAN?

COULD IT HAVE BEEN
JOHN WHITE INVOLVED?

OR WAS IT HIS BOSS,
SIR WALTER RALEIGH?

- WELL, I THINK
THAT THAT'S PLAUSIBLE,

AND I'M SURE HE WOULD HAVE PLANS

ABOUT HOW TO ESTABLISH A COLONY

AND HOW TO PROTECT IT
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SAFE.

- BUT WE'VE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT JOHN WHITE.

BUT THE PERSON I NEED
TO FIND OUT ABOUT NOW

IS THIS SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM.

I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER
IF SIR WALTER RALEIGH

FIGURES IN TO THIS MYSTERY
SOMEHOW.

HE WAS THE MAN BEHIND ROANOKE,

THE MAN HANDPICKED
BY QUEEN ELIZABETH

TO ESTABLISH THE FIRST COLONY
IN THE NEW WORLD.

I WONDER IF HE HAD
ANYTHING TO DO

WITH THE HIDDEN SYMBOL
ON THE MAP.

MAYBE THERE WERE
STRATEGIC MOTIVES IN PLAY

FOR MOVING THE COLONY

OR EVEN HIDING
ITS TRUE LOCATION.

MARK, I'M INVESTIGATING
THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE STORY STARTS

OVER ON THIS SIDE
OF THE ATLANTIC IN ENGLAND.

WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW IS
MORE ABOUT SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

- SIR WALTER IS NOT A LAZY MAN.

EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK,

SIR WALTER'S HAND
IS IN THE ACTION.

AND THAT, I THINK,

IS WHAT MAKES HIM
SO INTERESTING,

SO ATTRACTIVE.

HE'S A TRUE RENAISSANCE
CHARACTER.

HE'S IN THERE AT THE BEGINNING

OF THE FIRST PHASES
OF EUROPEAN INVOLVEMENT

IN WHAT IS NOW NORTH CAROLINA.

- MY UNDERSTANDING
IS THAT SIR WALTER RALEIGH

FINANCED THIS COLONY.

IS THAT CORRECT?

- YES, HE PUT A LOT OF MONEY
INTO THE ADVENTURE, YES.

- OKAY.

DURING THIS PERIOD

OF THE LATTER HALF
OF THE 16TH CENTURY,

THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE
TRYING TO ESTABLISH COLONIES

IN THE NEW WORLD,
NOT JUST SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

IS THAT CORRECT?

- YES, IN FACT, ONE OF THEM
WAS FROM THIS VERY COLLEGE,

A MAN CALLED JOHN DEE,
DR. JOHN DEE.

HE WROTE ADVOCATING
THE ESTABLISHMENT

OF AN ENGLISH... OR A BRITISH...
EMPIRE

AND ADVOCATING COLONIZATION.

THERE WERE MANY LIKE HIM.

IT WAS IN THE AIR AT THE TIME.

- SO JOHN DEE
WAS A BRITISH EXPANSIONIST.

WOULD THIS HAVE BEEN
A FORERUNNER TO THE COLONY?

- ONE OF THESE ARGUMENTS
WAS THAT THE ENGLISH,

OR THE BRITISH,

HAD BEEN IN NORTH AMERICA
LONG BEFORE COLUMBUS' VOYAGES.

AND SO THE BRITISH
DID HAVE A PRIOR CLAIM.

HIS ARGUMENT OF THE CASE,
OF COURSE,

MAKES IT EASIER
FOR SIR WALTER RALEIGH,

QUEEN ELIZABETH I
TO CLAIM THE NEW WORLD.

- WHAT WERE RALEIGH'S MOTIVES

FOR SENDING THE COLONY OVER,
DO YOU THINK?

- WELL, FOR HIS OWN
PERSONAL MOTIVES, OF COURSE,

IT'S LAND AND PROPERTY.

WELL, THE LAND GRAB
IS IMPORTANT FOR SIR WALTER.

HE'S A YOUNGER SON,
AND IN THE WAY OF THINGS,

THE ESTATES HAVE ALL GONE
TO OLDER BROTHERS,

AND HE DOESN'T GET ANYTHING.

SO NOW HE'S A FAVORITE
OF THE QUEEN.

HE WANTS TO MAKE SOMETHING
FOR HIMSELF

AND FOR HIS FAMILY.

FROM THE POINT OF VIEW
OF THE STATE,

WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR
IS A MILITARY BASE.

THE OTHER THING, OF COURSE,
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR

IS SOMETHING THAT
THE LAND PRODUCES

THAT IS WORTH EXPLOITING
BACK HOME.

SILVER AND GOLD WOULD BE IDEAL,

BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND THOSE,

THEN USEFUL CROPS,
USEFUL PLANTS...

FOR EXAMPLE, SASSAFRAS,

WHICH COMES UP
IN THE EARLY ACCOUNTS

AS A USEFUL PLANT.

- YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST OVER
AT THE COLONY'S SITE

AT ROANOKE, AND IN THE AREA,
WE SAW LOTS OF SASSAFRAS.

SO IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
SASSAFRAS, WHY?

- WELL, SASSAFRAS
IS A VERSATILE PLANT.

IT CAN BE USED
AS A FOOD FLAVORING.

AT THE TIME, IT IS ALSO GIVEN
A LOT OF CURATIVE PROPERTIES

FOR DISEASES, PARTICULARLY
FOR SYPHILIS.

- I KNOW THAT SYPHILIS
WAS RUNNING RAMPANT

IN ENGLAND AT THAT TIME.

WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
IS THAT SOME SCIENTISTS BELIEVE

IT WAS A DISEASE INTRODUCED
TO THE CONTINENT

BY NONE OTHER
THAN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

AFTER HIS VOYAGE
TO THE NEW WORLD.

AT THAT TIME, SASSAFRAS WAS
CONSIDERED THE ONLY TREATMENT

FOR THIS NEW WORLD DISEASE.

ONE OF THE RUMORS WAS THAT
THE QUEEN HAD SYPHILIS.

IF THAT'S TRUE,

OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONE WAY
YOU CAN PLEASE THE QUEEN,

BY TREATING A CONDITION
THAT SHE MAY HAVE HAD

OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD.

- YES, THIS RUMOR COMES,
OF COURSE,

FROM THE IDEA THAT HENRY VIII,
HER FATHER, HAD IT

AND SO PASSED IT ON
TO ELIZABETH.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE

THAT THE QUEEN
SUFFERED FROM SYPHILIS.

- SO DO YOU THINK THAT SASSAFRAS

MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MOTIVATION
FOR THEM TO MOVE INLAND?

- IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

IF YOU ARE... IF IT'S ON THE LIST
OF COMMODITIES

TO GO AND LOOK FOR,

THEN YOU HAVE TO GO
WHERE THE SASSAFRAS IS.

- I RECENTLY LOOKED AT A MAP
THAT JOHN WHITE MADE.

AND THERE'S AN AREA
THAT'S COVERED UP WITH A PATCH,

AND LOOKING CAREFULLY
UNDERNEATH THAT PATCH,

IT APPEARS TO BE A SYMBOL
OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE A FORT.

ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT?

- ONE OF THOSE TANTALIZING,
MYSTERIOUS CLUES

WHICH, EFFECTIVELY,
WE NEED TO WORK FURTHER ON.

- YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK
AT THAT SYMBOL ON THE MAP,

WHAT I THINK
IS THAT THIS WAS WHERE

JOHN WHITE WANTED TO BUILD

OR SIR WALTER RALEIGH
WANTED TO BUILD A FORT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CLUES HERE
THAT THE COLONY WENT INLAND,

AND IF THERE'S A PLACE WHERE
THE SECRET SYMBOL ON THE MAP,

THE SASSAFRAS,
AND THE DARE STONE CLUES

ALL COME TOGETHER, WE JUST MIGHT
FIND THE LOST COLONY.

- I'M HEADED TO THE PLACE

WHERE I THINK THE CLUES
TO THE LOST COLONY ALL CONVERGE.

IT'S A GOLF COURSE
CALLED THE SCOTCH HALL PRESERVE.

AND IT'S A PLACE
THAT CORRESPONDS

WITH THE SECRET SYMBOL
ON JOHN WHITE'S MAP.

I WANT TO KNOW
IF THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE

THE COLONISTS ENDED UP
BUILDING A FORT HERE

AND IF THERE'S A CONNECTION
TO THE DARE STONES.

- YES, SIR.

- HI. SCOTT WOLTER.
- JIM HUGHES, SCOTT.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

- SAY, I'M LOOKING INTO
THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.

DOES THAT RING A BELL AT ALL?

- YES, SIR,
THAT'S BIG NEWS AROUND HERE.

- THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY IS,

I RECENTLY LOOKED AT A MAP
OVER IN ENGLAND

THAT LED ME TO HERE,

AND I'M LOOKING
INTO THE POSSIBILITY

THAT MAYBE THE LOST COLONY
CAME HERE.

AND I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD
TAKE A LOOK AROUND

OR, IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE,
MAYBE YOU COULD SHOW ME?

- ABSOLUTELY.

- SO WHEN WAS THIS GOLF COURSE
BUILT?

- GOLF COURSE OPENED IN 2009
AND WAS RECOGNIZED

AS ONE OF THE TOP TEN
BEST NEW COURSES IN THE COUNTRY.

- SO THAT WAS JUST
THREE YEARS AGO.

A LOT OF EARTHWORK
WAS DONE HERE.

DID THEY EVER FIND ANY EVIDENCE
OF COLONIAL SETTLEMENT

OR MAYBE THE REMNANTS OF A FORT?

- YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY MOVED

OVER A MILLION CUBIC YARDS
OF DIRT.

THEY DUG, LIKE, 12 OR 13 PONDS.

AND IN ALL THAT,
NO EVIDENCE WAS EVER FOUND

OF A FORT
OR ANY COLONIAL SETTLEMENT.

- NOTHING AT ALL?
- NOTHING AT ALL.

- YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURPRISED,

BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT SOME OF THE COLONY

DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT HERE.

BEAUTIFUL SPOT.

- THIS IS THE CHOWAN RIVER.

AND BACK THERE IS SALMON CREEK.

- OKAY, AND THIS LEADS OUT
TO THE OCEAN HERE.

- RIGHT,
THIS IS THE ALBEMARLE SOUND,

AND IF YOU FOLLOW IT ON OUT,
YOU'LL HIT THE OUTER BANKS.

- OKAY, SO THIS AREA
WHERE THE MAP WAS REPAIRED

AND JOHN WHITE DREW WHAT APPEARS
TO BE A SYMBOL

REPRESENTING A FORT
IS COVERED UP,

THAT WOULD BE HERE.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WAS THERE A FORT HERE?

- THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
OF A FORT BEING HERE, SCOTT.

I THINK WE WOULD HAVE FOUND
SOME EVIDENCE OF THAT

OR SOME OTHER COLONIAL ACTIVITY,

BUT IT JUST HASN'T APPEARED.

- A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE SPECULATED

ON WHAT THIS COVERED-UP
FORTLIKE SYMBOL WAS OR IS,

AND TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU,

I THINK WHAT HAPPENED HERE
IS THAT THIS SPOT

IS WHERE JOHN WHITE
WANTED TO PUT A FORT

AND WANTED THE COLONY TO BE,
BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED.

HOWEVER, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
SOME OF THEM DIDN'T GET HERE,

WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT MAP,
AND THAT'S A MODERN-DAY MAP,

AND WHAT WE HAVE PLOTTED ON HERE

IS WHERE THE DARE STONES
WERE FOUND.

THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 48 STONES
FOUND OVER A 300-MILE STRETCH

BEGINNING IN 1937
UP TO ABOUT 1940.

NOW, HERE'S WHERE THE FIRST
STONE WAS FOUND,

AND THE ONLY REFERENCE
THAT WE HAVE

SAYS IT WAS FOUND NEAR A TOWN
CALLED EDENTON.

- RIGHT ACROSS THERE,

RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER
ON THE NORTH SIDE.

- OH, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

SO WE'RE RIGHT IN THE SAME AREA.

MY THEORY IS RIGHT,

BECAUSE I BELIEVE
ELEANOR DARE MUST HAVE KNOWN

THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE
A COLONY HERE OR A FORT HERE,

AND SO MAYBE SHE TRIED
TO GET BACK TO THE ONE PLACE

THAT SHE KNEW HER FATHER
MIGHT LOOK FOR HER.

WOW.

THERE'S ONE OTHER THING

SASSAFRAS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SASSAFRAS
AROUND HERE?

- WE HAVE A LOT OF SASSAFRAS.
- YOU DO?

THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE
TO THIS PUZZLE.

THE REASON THAT SASSAFRAS
WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT

TO THE COLONISTS
AND TO JOHN WHITE SPECIFICALLY

IS BECAUSE SASSAFRAS

WAS THOUGHT TO BE USED
FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES,

SPECIFICALLY
IN TREATING SYPHILIS.

I'M SURE THAT
HAD SOMETHING TO DO

WITH THIS WHOLE DESIRE
TO EVENTUALLY CULTIVATE

AND BRING BACK SASSAFRAS
TO ENGLAND.

- IT'S A HELL OF A STORY, SCOTT.

- AFTER DISCOVERING THE PLACE
WHERE THE MAP,

THE STONES, AND THE SASSAFRAS
ALL COME TOGETHER,

MY SEARCH FOR THE LOST COLONY
IS COMING TO A CLOSE.

BUT GEOLOGY IS KEY
TO PUTTING THIS CASE TO BED.

SOMETHING I LEARNED

IN MY FORENSIC STUDY
OF THE DARE STONES

WAS THAT THE ORIGINAL STONE
FOUND IN EDENTON

WAS CARVED ON
A PIECE OF QUARTZITE.

AND NOW I NEED TO FIND OUT

IF QUARTZITE
IS NATIVE TO THE AREA.

IF ELEANOR DARE
REALLY CARVED THESE MESSAGES,

SHE WOULD HAVE USED
WHATEVER STONES WERE NEARBY.

- HEY. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

- HI, I'M SCOTT WOLTER.
HOW YOU DOING?

- PAUL WAFF. NICE TO MEET YOU.

- SAY, I'M SORRY TO BOTHER YOU
HERE THIS MORNING, BUT...

AND THIS MAY SEEM
LIKE A STRANGE REQUEST,

BUT I'M INTERESTED
IN YOUR ROCK GARDEN,

THE ROCKS SPECIFICALLY.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THESE?

DID THEY COME FROM EDENTON HERE?

- YES.
- THEY DID?

- ALONG THE BANKS
OF THE CHOWAN RIVER.

- OKAY,
IS THERE ANY PLACE NEARBY

WHERE I COULD TAKE A LOOK,

WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY
COMING OUT OF THE GROUND?

- SURE.
RIGHT OUT ON THE RIVER THERE.

YOU CAN SEE IT ALONG THE BANKS.

- IF PAUL CAN SHOW ME
SOME INDIGENOUS QUARTZITE,

IT WOULD BRING ME
ONE STEP CLOSER

TO SOLVING THIS MYSTERY.

GOT IT. YES.

THIS IS GLACIAL QUARTZITE.

FINDING QUARTZITE
ALONG THE RIVERBANK IN EDENTON

IS LIKE FINDING THE LAST PIECE
OF AN ELABORATE PUZZLE.

FORENSIC GEOLOGY TOLD ME

THAT THE MESSAGE
ON THE FIRST DARE STONE

IS LIKELY VERY OLD.

THE DISCOVERY OF QUARTZITE
IS ALSO CONSISTENT

WITH THE MESSAGE BEING CARVED
ON STONE LOCAL TO THE AREA.

AND BOTH THOSE DISCOVERIES
SUGGEST TO ME

THAT THE FIRST DARE STONE FOUND
AND MAYBE THE OTHERS

ARE GENUINE.

I'M CONVINCED THAT THE COLONISTS
MOVED THROUGHOUT THE REGION

AND LEFT THE STONES BEHIND
AS A BREADCRUMB TRAIL

MARKING WHERE THEY'D BEEN.

MAYBE THEY DID GO TO CROATOAN
FOR A TIME,

BUT THE STONES SUGGEST
THEY EVENTUALLY MOVED INLAND.

I BELIEVE THE DARE STONES
SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY

A LONG TIME AGO.

HISTORY IGNORED THEM

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FIT
INTO THE STORY WE'D BEEN TOLD.

BUT NOW MY SCIENCE
TELLS A NEW STORY.

IF YOU HAVE
A MYSTERIOUS ARTIFACT OR SITE

I NEED TO SEE,
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

Subtitles Diego Moraes
www.oakisland.tk