Milton, Giles. Big Chief Elizabeth; the adventures and fate of the first English colonists in America.

St. Martin's, Picador. 358p. illus. bibliog. index. c2000. 0-312-42018-8. $14.00. SA

After the discovery of the North American continent by John Cabot in 1497, there were attempts to establish colonies on the land England had laid claim to. In 1536, Richard Hore, a wealthy London leather dealer, decided on a voyage. They fetched up in Nova Scotia but nearly starved, resorting to cannibalism. "For the next quarter of a century, there were no officially sanctioned voyages to America. The 'new founde lande' had been abandoned to its 'savages.'" In 1582 another group, under the direction of Sir Humfrey Gilbert, set out. His half-brother, Walter Ralegh, went along, but was forced to return before reaching his goal by illness on his ship. When Gilbert reached Newfoundland, he found 36 ships already in St. John's harbor. Eventually they also returned to England disappointed.

In 1584 Walter Ralegh, 26, decided to found a colony. Because of the Queen's favor, he was immensely rich, and could fund the voyage. The Queen did, however, lend her name to the new land--Virginia. Ralegh chose Sir Richard Grenville to lead the expedition. They finally landed on Roanoke Island, then sailed back to England, leaving 107 settlers behind. A tribe of local Indians named Queen Elizabeth "Weroanza," or Big Chief. Because of political problems with Spain, the supply ship was late in returning. Sir Francis Drake finally arrived and took home the remaining colonists. Ralegh then decided to send another expedition to the Chesapeake Bay. In 1587 the colonists were put ashore on Roanoke, where Virginia Dare was born. Because of the Spanish Armada they could not be resupplied, and no one saw them for over two years. When the ships arrived, everyone had vanished. In all, 123 Englishmen and women were missing in America. Giles Milton has a theory about the fate of these early colonists. Powhatan said the colonists had survived for 20 years, but he told John Smith that he had ordered them slaughtered in 1607. In 1701 descendents, half Indian, were found on Croatoan Island. In 1998 an Elizabethan gold ring was found close to the site of a friendly Indian village. Milton's tale is full of Elizabethan spellings and period details. It reads like a detective story. The volume is illustrated and contains a lengthy bibliography and a thorough index. Highly recommended. Janet Julian, English Teacher, Grafton H.S., Grafton, MA