John White, an artist and explorer, was appointed the governor of the Roanoke Colony, the first English settlement in the New World. In April of 1587, he led a group of settlers to the area, but soon after, he realized that the colony needed additional supplies to thrive. White returned to England in 1587 to gather provisions, intending to make a brief trip. However, the conflict between England and Spain delayed his return, and he was unable to return for three years. In August 1590, when White finally made it back to Roanoke, he was met with an eerie silence instead of the bustling settlement he had left behind. White found the homes abandoned, the crops overgrown, and no sign of his fellow colonists, leading him to believe that they had either perished or left in search of a more hospitable environment. The only clue left behind was the word 'CROATOAN,' which was carved into a tree and referred to a nearby island. This ambiguous message fueled speculation about the whereabouts of the settlers. Historical records show that White searched the surrounding areas, but he could find no trace, prompting theories about the fate of the lost colony.