Editing Roanoke Colony (section)

===Establishment of the colony===
[[File:Burning of Aquascogoc 1585.jpg|thumb|The 1585 assault on [[Aquascogoc]] village]]

The loss of provisions from the ''Tiger'' meant that the colony would support far fewer settlers than originally planned. Grenville decided that only about 100 men would stay with Lane, which would be enough to fulfill the colony's objectives until another fleet, scheduled to leave England in June&nbsp;1585, could deliver a second wave of colonists and supplies.{{Sfn|Quinn|1985|pp= 64–67}} However, Grenville could not know that this expedition had been redirected to Newfoundland, to alert fishing fleets that the Spanish had begun seizing English commercial vessels in retaliation for attacks by English privateers.{{Sfn|Quinn|1985|p= 85}} Until a resupply mission could be arranged, Lane's colony would be heavily dependent on the generosity of the natives.{{Sfn|Kupperman|2007|p= 23}}

While the ''Tiger'' was under repair, Grenville organized an expedition to explore Pamlico Sound and the Secotan villages of [[Aquascogoc]], [[Pamlico]], and Secotan. His party made contact with the locals, presenting Harriot and White with an opportunity to extensively study Native American society.{{Sfn|Milton|2001|pp= 102–110}} Although much of their research did not survive the 1586 evacuation of the colony, Harriot's extensive survey of Virginia's inhabitants and natural resources was published in 1588, with engravings of White's illustrations included in the 1590 edition.{{Sfn|Quinn|1985|pp= 157–158}}<ref name="Harriot">{{cite book |last=Harriot |first=Thomas |author-link=Thomas Harriot |title=A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia, of the commodities and of the nature and manners of the naturall inhabitants. Discouered by the English colony there seated by Sir Richard Greinuile Knight in the yeere 1585. Which Remained Vnder the gouernement of twelue monethes, at the speciall charge and direction of the Honourable Sir Walter Raleigh Knight lord Warden of the stanneries Who therein hath beene fauoured and authorized by her Maiestie and her letters patents. |location=Frankfurt |publisher=Johannes Wechel |year=1590 |url=https://archive.org/details/briefetruereport00harr/ |access-date=September 22, 2019}}</ref>

Following this initial exploration, a silver cup was reported missing. Believing the item stolen, Grenville sent Amadas to lead a detachment back to Aquascogoc to demand the return of the missing property. When the villagers did not produce the cup, the English decided that severe retribution was necessary in order to avoid the appearance of weakness. Amadas and his men burnt down the entire town and its crops, sending the natives fleeing.{{Sfn|Kupperman|2007|p= 72}}{{Sfn|Anon.|1600|pp= 298–299}}

[[File:Fort Raleigh (artist's reconstruction).jpg|thumb|An artist's rendering of [[Ralph Lane]]'s Roanoke fort; ''author unknown, 1962'']]
Manteo arranged a meeting for Grenville and Lane with Granganimeo, to provide land for the English settlement on Roanoke Island. Both sides agreed that the island was strategically located for access to the ocean and to avoid detection from Spanish patrols. Lane began construction of a fort on the north side of the island.{{Sfn|Lawler|2018|pp=58–59}} There are no surviving renderings of the Roanoke fort, but it was likely similar in structure to the one at Mosquetal.{{Sfn|Harrington|1962|p= 27}}

Grenville set sail for England aboard the ''Tiger'' on August 25, 1585. Days later, in [[Action off Bermuda (1585)|Bermuda]], Grenville raided a large Spanish [[galleon]], the ''Santa Maria de San Vicente'', which had become separated from the rest of its fleet.{{Sfn|Gabriel-Powell|2016|pp= 29–34}} The merchant ship, which Grenville took back to England as a prize, was loaded with enough treasure to make the entire Roanoke expedition profitable, spurring excitement in Queen Elizabeth's court about Raleigh's colonisation efforts.{{Sfn|Horn|2010|pp= 84–86}}

The ''Roebuck'' left Roanoke on September 8, 1585, leaving behind one of the pinnaces under the command of Amadas.{{Sfn|Quinn|1985|pp= 82, 92}} Records indicate that 107&nbsp;men remained with Lane at the colony. However, historians disagree as to whether White returned to England with Grenville, or spent the winter at Roanoke despite his absence from the list of colonists.{{Sfn|Horn|2010|p= 259}}{{Sfn|Quinn|1985|p= 82}}