▁lack ▁of ▁supplies ▁and ▁poor ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁local ▁Native ▁Americans . ▁ ▁While ▁await ing ▁a ▁delayed ▁res upp ly ▁mission ▁by ▁Richard ▁Gren ville , ▁Lane ▁decided ▁to ▁abandon ▁the ▁col ony ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁England ▁with ▁Francis ▁Dra ke ▁in ▁ 1 5 8 6 . ▁ ▁Gren ville ▁arrived ▁two ▁weeks ▁later ▁and ▁left ▁a ▁small ▁det achment ▁to ▁protect ▁R ale igh ' s ▁claim . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁R ale igh ▁sent ▁White ▁on ▁an ▁expedition ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁C itt ie ▁of ▁R ale igh ▁in ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay . ▁ ▁However , ▁during ▁a ▁stop ▁to ▁check ▁in ▁on ▁Gren ville ' s ▁men , ▁the ▁flags hip ' s ▁pilot ▁Simon ▁Fern and es ▁ins isted ▁that ▁White ' s ▁colon ists ▁remain ▁on ▁Ro ano ke . ▁ ▁White ▁returned ▁to ▁England ▁with ▁Fern and es , ▁int ending ▁to ▁bring ▁more ▁supplies ▁back ▁to ▁his ▁col ony ▁in ▁ 1 5 8 8 . ▁ ▁Instead , ▁the ▁Ang lo - Span ish ▁War ▁delayed ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁Ro ano ke ▁until ▁ 1 5 9 0 . ▁Upon ▁his ▁arrival , ▁he ▁found ▁the ▁settlement ▁fort ified ▁but ▁abandoned . ▁ ▁The ▁word ▁" C RO AT O AN " ▁was ▁found ▁car ved ▁into ▁the ▁pal is ade , ▁which ▁White ▁interpreted ▁to ▁mean ▁the ▁colon ists ▁had ▁re located ▁to ▁Cro ato an ▁Island . ▁ ▁Before ▁he ▁could ▁follow ▁this ▁lead ,