# What did the carved word CROATOAN tell White? · Lost Colony of Roanoke > Three answers have been proposed. That some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7426TA8/what-did-the-carved-word-croatoan-tell-white Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:55+00:00 --- **0** # What did the carved word CROATOAN tell White? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [What happened to the colonists left on Roanoke Island in 1587?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC6W858JF/what-happened-to-the-colonists-left-on-roanoke-island-in)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: that some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. That some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters It is the only message the colonists left. White and the colonists had agreed a code: carve the destination, with a cross if in distress⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBW4G4EQT/the-principal-navigations-voyages-traffiques-and-discoveries). ## Answers 3 [**That some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/answers/ANS0CQCCDF62PTR/that-some-had-gone-to-croatoan-while-others-had-already) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/answers/ANS0CQCCDYT244F/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**That the whole colony had moved to Croatoan.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/answers/ANS0CQCCCZJ3G2D/that-the-whole-colony-had-moved-to-croatoan) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 1904[Hakluyt & White puts forward: that the whole colony had moved to Croatoan.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBW4G4EQT/the-principal-navigations-voyages-traffiques-and-discoveries) 1. 1904[Hakluyt & White puts forward: that some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBW4G4EQT/the-principal-navigations-voyages-traffiques-and-discoveries) 1. 1904[Hakluyt & White: white took it as a certain token of their safe being at Croatoan.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBW4G4EQT/the-principal-navigations-voyages-traffiques-and-discoveries)For: That the whole colony had moved to Croatoan. 1. 1904[Hakluyt & White: the plan to move fifty miles inland was made before White left; Croatoan is not fifty miles into the mainland.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQCBW4G4EQT/the-principal-navigations-voyages-traffiques-and-discoveries)For: That some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7426TA8/what-did-the-carved-word-croatoan-tell-white%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7426TA8/what-did-the-carved-word-croatoan-tell-white%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7426TA8/what-did-the-carved-word-croatoan-tell-white%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7426TA8/what-did-the-carved-word-croatoan-tell-white%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7426TA8/what-did-the-carved-word-croatoan-tell-white%23add-source) Where it fits Lost Colony of Roanoke [**What happened to the colonists left on Roanoke Island in 1587?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC6W858JF/what-happened-to-the-colonists-left-on-roanoke-island-in)Key question · most likely the colony split; a small party went to Croatoan to watch for ships and the main body moved inland [Did the 1587–1589 drought contribute to the colony's fate?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/lost-colony-roanoke/questions/QST0CQCC7VG6WM0/did-the-15871589-drought-contribute-to-the-colonys-fate)Most likely · yes; harvest failure for colonists and neighbours pushed them to move or killed them **What did the carved word CROATOAN tell White?** You're here · that some had gone to Croatoan, while others had already moved inland as planned [ Ask a question under this one ]