The Lost Colony

Originally Aired: October 2, 1940 Cavalcade of America #194, "The Lost Colony," transports listeners to Elizabethan England and the perilous New World. Eleanor White, a young woman dreaming of adventure beyond the confines of her station, finds herself betrothed to the respectable Captain Ananias Dare despite her feelings for John Borden, a tenant farmer. When Sir Walter Raleigh presents his colonial expedition to Queen Elizabeth, Eleanor boldly declares her desire to sail to Roanoke Island, inspiring the Queen to allow women to join the venture. Eleanor's dreams seem realized as she arrives in the New World as Eleanor Dare, now married and sailing with her father, Governor John White, and a company of hopeful colonists. Upon reaching Roanoke, however, the colonists discover a horrifying scene at the fort that was supposed to await them. They find the settlement abandoned and a murdered colonist, killed by Native Americans. The local chief Manteo warns them that his tribe is preparing for war and the white men must leave. The dream of a peaceful colony suddenly becomes a nightmare as Governor White and his settlers, including Eleanor and the pregnant women among them, must decide whether to abandon their hopes or face the deadly dangers that await them in this strange, silent land.