This was so interesting that I just had to share it. It is in regards to the Virginia Dare mystery. Someone has in their possession what they believe is the tombstone of Virginia Dare. The following is taken directly from the email. Can anyone do their best to decipher it? If so, send me a copy if you would. I find this very interesting. Renee Waring From: "Stephen Horrillo" <stephen@stephenhorrillo.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, October 04, 2002 8:00 PM Subject: [OEL] Early Modern English on Tombstone > I have an old tombstone that has been in my family for many years. It is purportedly the tombstone of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America. I'm trying to get a good translation of what is written on the back. The following is what thirty four scholars back in the 1940's found that it said. Any help in translation and any suggestions on how to authenticate the tombstone would be greatly appreciated. All the best, > > stephen@stephenhorrillo.com > > > "Father soone After yov goe for Englande we cam hither/ onlie misarie & > warre-tow yeare/ Above halfe DeaDe ere tow yeere moore from sickenes > beine > fovre & twentie/ salvage with menage of shipp vnto vs/ smal space of > time > they affrite of revenge rann al awaye/ wee bleeve yt nott you/ soone > after > ye salvages faine spirts angrie/ suddiane mvrther al save leaven/ mine > childe-ananias to slaine wth mvch misarie-/bvrie al neere fovre myles > easte > this river vppon smal hil/ names writ al ther on rocke/pvtt this ther > alsoe/ > salvage shew this vnto yov & hither wee promise yov to give greate > plentie > presents  E W D > > The bars in the text represent conjectural sen-tence divisions. > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > > Father, soon after you go for England we came hither. Only misery and war two year. Above half dead ere two year more from sickness. Been four and twenty savages with many of ships unto us. Small space of time they, afright of revenge, ran all away. We believe it not you. Soon after the savages fain spirits angry, suddenly murther [murder] all save eleven. Mine child Ananias too slain. With much misery bury all near four miles east this river upon small hill. Names writ all there on rock. Put this there also. Savage show this unto you and hither we promise you to give great plenty presents. EWD. The above is my interpretation of what the words on the tombstone say. It would appear that EWD's father left to return to England and soon afterwards the rest of the party came to this place (does not say exactly where this is but presumably can be traced by going backwards from the place of burial, where the tombstone was found). Before two years was up, more than half the party were dead from sickness. Twenty four savages came with many ships (possibly canoes). After a short time, they were afraid of revenge being taken upon them and all of them ran away. [It then says that EWD and the party believe it was not the father that frightened the savages, but it is not possible to say what had made them afraid.] Soon afterwards the savages thought the spirits were angry and they suddenly murdered everyone in the party except for eleven. EWD's child, Ananias, was also killed. With much misery the remainder of the party buried all the dead four miles east of this river on a small hill. They wrote the names of the dead on a rock and put this tombstone there too. They promised that if the savages showed him [the father] the tombstone and burials, he would give them many presents. Don't know if this is correct but it is what it appears to me to be. I have no idea how it would be authenticated, nor how you would tell where the tombstone may have originally stood. Perhaps you have museums and historians that could help you. It could be that some of the Indian tribes that traditionally inhabited that part of the country could help. I believe the Indians have a tradition of oral history. I have no idea how you would go about trying to find out. Please do keep us posted on any information you find and any further steps you may take. It is a fascinating story. Even if it should prove not to be true, it is still a very good story, in my opinion. Audrey