▁he ▁ch anced ▁to ▁discover ▁Port ▁Ferd in ando ▁along ▁the ▁Out er ▁B anks . ▁The ▁port ▁appeared ▁abandoned , ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁signs ▁of ▁activity ▁on ▁Ro ano ke ▁Island . ▁González ▁left ▁without ▁conduct ing ▁a ▁thorough ▁investigation . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁Spanish ▁believed ▁González ▁had ▁located ▁the ▁secret ▁English ▁base , ▁the ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Arm ada ▁prevent ed ▁Phill ip ▁from ▁immediately ▁ordering ▁an ▁attack ▁upon ▁it . ▁In ▁ 1 5 9 0 , ▁a ▁plan ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁Ro ano ke ▁col ony ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁Spanish ▁col ony ▁in ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁merely ▁dis information ▁designed ▁to ▁mis direct ▁English ▁intelligence . ▁▁ 1 5 9 0 ▁relief ▁mission ▁ ▁Event ually , ▁Walter ▁R ale igh ▁arranged ▁passage ▁for ▁White ▁on ▁a ▁private ering ▁expedition ▁organ ised ▁by ▁John ▁W att s . ▁ ▁The ▁fleet ▁of ▁six ▁ships ▁would ▁spend ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 5 9 0 ▁ra iding ▁Spanish ▁out posts ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean , ▁but ▁the ▁flags hip ▁Hope well ▁and ▁the ▁Moon light ▁would ▁split ▁off ▁to ▁take ▁White ▁to ▁his ▁col ony . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁however , ▁R ale igh ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁turning ▁the ▁vent ure ▁over ▁to ▁new ▁invest ors . ▁ ▁The ▁Hope well ▁and ▁Moon light ▁anch ored ▁at ▁Cro ato an ▁Island ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 2 , ▁but ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁indic ation