▁as ▁A j ac án . ▁ ▁John ▁Law son ▁ ▁Sea ▁traffic ▁through ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁fell ▁into ▁decl ine ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁dangerous ▁waters ▁of ▁the ▁Out er ▁B anks . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 7 2 , ▁the ▁in let ▁between ▁H ator ask ▁and ▁Cro ato an ▁Islands ▁closed , ▁and ▁the ▁resulting ▁land mass ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁H atter as ▁Island . ▁ ▁During ▁John ▁Law son ' s ▁ 1 7 0 1 - 1 7 0 9 ▁expl oration ▁of ▁northern ▁Carolina ▁he ▁visited ▁H atter as ▁Island ▁and ▁encountered ▁the ▁H atter as ▁people . ▁ ▁Although ▁there ▁is ▁evidence ▁of ▁European ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁Out er ▁B anks ▁throughout ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁Law son ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁historian ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁region ▁since ▁John ▁White ▁left ▁in ▁ 1 5 9 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁im pressed ▁with ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁English ▁culture ▁on ▁the ▁H atter as . ▁ ▁They ▁reported ▁that ▁several ▁of ▁their ▁ancest ors ▁had ▁been ▁white , ▁and ▁some ▁of ▁them ▁had ▁gray ▁eyes , ▁supporting ▁this ▁claim . ▁Law son ▁the or ized ▁that ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁col ony ▁had ▁assim il ated ▁into ▁this ▁community ▁after ▁they ▁lost ▁hope ▁of ▁reg aining ▁contact ▁with ▁England . ▁ ▁While ▁visit ing ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁itself , ▁Law son ▁reported ▁finding ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁a ▁fort ,