So then, anything from an oral culture is invalid? Nancy ------- I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days. --Daniel Boone On Jan 14, 2007, at 4:51 PM, Douglas Deal wrote: > With all due respect to the subscribers to this listserv who are > inclined to accept at face value some undocumented assertions about > events that occurred more than 400 years ago because they seem > plausible > and are part of the oral traditions of those making the assertions, I > would like to suggest that, in matters such as this, having relevant > documents as a guide is much better than not having them. Oral > traditions have much to tell us, but they can also lead us astray. > Documents have their own problems, of course, but one advantage they > possess is not changing over time, as oral traditions do. > > In the case of the Roanoke colonists, Jim Horn of CW has made some > real > progress in getting some documentary clues as to their fate, which he > outlines (an entire book on the subject is under way) in his recent > book > on early Jamestown. The bottom line conclusion is that they wandered > west from the coast into the interior (50 miles or so?) and resided > with > tribes in that area until all or most were killed on the orders of > Wahunsonacock (Powhatan). > > Doug Deal > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the > instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html