▁they ▁would ▁spend ▁winter ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁Out er ▁B anks ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 5 9 1 . ▁ ▁This ▁plan ▁fell ▁through , ▁though , ▁when ▁the ▁Hope well ▁was ▁blow n ▁off ▁course , ▁forcing ▁them ▁to ▁stop ▁for ▁supplies ▁in ▁the ▁Az ores . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁wind s ▁prevent ed ▁land fall ▁there , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁again ▁forced ▁to ▁change ▁course ▁for ▁England , ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 5 9 0 . ▁ ▁Investig ations ▁into ▁Ro ano ke ▁ ▁Walter ▁R ale igh ▁ ▁Although ▁John ▁White ▁failed ▁to ▁locate ▁his ▁colon ists ▁in ▁ 1 5 9 0 , ▁his ▁report ▁suggested ▁they ▁had ▁simply ▁re located ▁and ▁might ▁yet ▁be ▁found ▁alive . ▁ ▁However , ▁it ▁served ▁Walter ▁R ale igh ' s ▁purposes ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁matter ▁in ▁doubt ; ▁so ▁long ▁as ▁the ▁sett lers ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁proven ▁dead , ▁he ▁could ▁leg ally ▁maintain ▁his ▁claim ▁on ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁a ▁ 1 5 9 4 ▁pet ition ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁declare ▁An an ias ▁D are ▁leg ally ▁dead ▁so ▁that ▁his ▁son , ▁John ▁D are , ▁could ▁inherit ▁his ▁estate . ▁ ▁The ▁pet ition ▁was ▁granted ▁in ▁ 1 5 9 7 . ▁ ▁During ▁R ale igh ' s ▁first ▁trans at l antic ▁voyage ▁in ▁ 1 5 9 5 , ▁he ▁claimed ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁search