▁Richard ▁Gren ville ▁had ▁promised ▁would ▁arrive ▁by ▁E aster . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁Lane ▁r ans omed ▁Men aton on ▁and ▁had ▁Sk iko ▁sent ▁back ▁to ▁Ro ano ke ▁as ▁a ▁host age . ▁ ▁He ▁proceeded ▁with ▁forty ▁men ▁for ▁about ▁ 1 0 0 ▁miles ▁up ▁the ▁Ro ano ke ▁River ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁Cha un is ▁Tem ot an , ▁but ▁they ▁found ▁only ▁desert ed ▁villages ▁and ▁war riors ▁lying ▁in ▁amb ush . ▁ ▁Lane ▁had ▁expected ▁the ▁Mor at uc ▁to ▁provide ▁prov isions ▁for ▁him ▁along ▁his ▁route , ▁but ▁P em is apan ▁had ▁sent ▁word ▁that ▁the ▁English ▁were ▁host ile ▁and ▁vill agers ▁should ▁withdraw ▁from ▁the ▁river ▁with ▁their ▁food . ▁ ▁Lane ▁and ▁his ▁party ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁col ony ▁shortly ▁after ▁E aster , ▁half - star ved ▁and ▁empty - hand ed . ▁ ▁During ▁their ▁absence , ▁rum ors ▁had ▁spread ▁that ▁they ' d ▁been ▁killed , ▁and ▁P em is apan ▁had ▁been ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁withdraw ▁the ▁Sec ot an ▁from ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island ▁and ▁leave ▁the ▁col ony ▁to ▁star ve . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁sign ▁of ▁Gren ville ' s ▁res upp ly ▁fleet , ▁which ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁even ▁left ▁England . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Lane , ▁P em is apan ▁was ▁so ▁surprised ▁that ▁Lane ▁returned ▁alive ▁from ▁the ▁Ro ano ke ▁River ▁mission ▁that ▁he ▁re cons ider ed ▁his ▁plans . ▁