▁that ▁White ▁used ▁the ▁time ▁to ▁contact ▁the ▁Cro atan ▁for ▁information . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁August ▁ 1 5 , ▁while ▁anch ored ▁at ▁the ▁north ▁end ▁of ▁H atter as ▁Island , ▁the ▁cre ws ▁sight ed ▁pl umes ▁of ▁smoke ▁on ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ; ▁the ▁following ▁morning , ▁they ▁investig ated ▁another ▁column ▁of ▁smoke ▁on ▁the ▁southern ▁end ▁of ▁H atter as , ▁but ▁found ▁nothing . ▁White ' s ▁landing ▁party ▁spent ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁days ▁attempting ▁to ▁cross ▁Pam lic o ▁Sound ▁with ▁considerable ▁difficulty ▁and ▁loss ▁of ▁life . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 7 ▁they ▁sight ed ▁a ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁end ▁of ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁and ▁row ed ▁towards ▁it , ▁but ▁they ▁reached ▁the ▁island ▁after ▁night fall ▁and ▁decided ▁not ▁to ▁risk ▁coming ▁ash ore . ▁The ▁men ▁spent ▁the ▁night ▁in ▁their ▁anch ored ▁boats , ▁singing ▁English ▁songs ▁in ▁hopes ▁that ▁the ▁colon ists ▁would ▁hear . ▁ ▁White ▁and ▁the ▁others ▁made ▁land fall ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁August ▁ 1 8 ▁( his ▁grand d augh ter ' s ▁third ▁birth day ). ▁The ▁party ▁found ▁fresh ▁tracks ▁in ▁the ▁sand , ▁but ▁were ▁not ▁contact ed ▁by ▁anyone . ▁They ▁also ▁discovered ▁the ▁letters ▁" C RO " ▁car ved ▁into ▁a ▁tree . ▁ ▁Upon ▁reaching ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁col ony , ▁White ▁noted ▁the ▁area ▁had ▁been ▁fort ified ▁with ▁a ▁pal is ade . ▁Near ▁the ▁entrance