連載企画４回目。
今回はこれまでと違い、実話に基づいたお話です。
失われた植民地「ロアノーク」。どんな歴史なのでしょうか！？
Urban Legend Series: FOURTH CUT
Legend: ROANOKE
This legend this week is a bit different from the rest, because the legend is actually factual and historically happened. What and why it happened, however is still still unknown and there are many theories.
The colony of Roanoke was the first permanent colony in the present day United States. It was located on Roanoke Island in what is now North Carolina. In 1585 Sir John Walter Raleigh of England sent a group of about 110 colonists led by a man named John White to build and settle America’s first permanent colony. The colony had some troubles at first but was eventually successful. They build a town with homes, protective walls, farms everything needed to survive in the new world. Sir Raleigh returned to England after his success while the colony thrived.
In 1590 he returned to the town to find it completely abandoned but there were no signs of a battle or a struggle. The only thing they found was a large tree with the words “CROATOAN” carved into it. Sir Raleigh and his men searched for the colonists but couldn’t find anyone. The fates of the 110 to 120 people still remain unknown.
Story:
Virginia Dare was born in 1587 at the Roanoke Island Colony. She was the first western child born in the New World. When she was 3 years old the colony mysteriously disappeared from all European contact. Little did the Europeans know, Virginia Dare and her family as well as the rest of the colonists had integrated and assimilated into native American life.
After the disappearance Sir Raleigh and many other members working for the queen launched an investigation. They came across Chief Powhatan who coincidentally, was the father of Pocahontas. He told them he had heard of town, a native American indian town that was different from all others. Instead of tents, they had walled homes and wore unique clothing. Sir Raleigh and his men searched for the town but gave up after 2 years of searching. That was the last anyone heard of Virginia Dare.
Fast-forward in time to 1855 almost 300 years later. An explorer finds the ruins of a native american settlement. Fast-forward another 80 years to the 1930’s; an archeologist discovered stones in a river near the settlement. Carved into the stones is old English; believed to be written by Virginia Dare and her mother, Elizabeth Dare. After even further research in modern times, many local native American indian tribes have their DNA tested. They have genes causing blonde hair and blue eyes. Some of their native language has traces of old English. Could it be that this is what really happened? This is just one of many many theories about what actually happened. Take a look at the information for yourself; you may come to a different conclusion.
Vocabulary:
Factual – 事実に基づいた
Theory – 理論・学説・見解
Colony – 植民地
Permanent – 永久の
To thrive – 成長する・栄える
Abandoned – 人気(ひとけ)のない・捨てられた
Struggle – 争い
Fate – 運命
To integrate – 統合する・集約する・溶け込ませる
To assimilate – 同化する
To launch – 開始する・着手する
Investigation – 調査
Coincidentally – 偶然にも
Fast-forward – 早送り
Ruins – 廃墟
Traces – 形跡・足跡