Manteo and Wanchese’s Historic Atlantic Crossing to London
In 1584, two Carolina Algonquian men named Manteo and Wanchese made history as the first Native Americans to cross the Atlantic.
English explorers took them from Roanoke Island to London, where they lived in Sir Walter Raleigh’s grand home.
There, scientist Thomas Harriot worked with them to create the first written form of an American Indian language. Yet the men had very different takes on the English.
Manteo grew fond of his hosts and learned their ways, while Wanchese grew more wary with each day. When they sailed back to Roanoke in 1585, their split views shaped the fate of early English settlement tries.
The Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in North Carolina tells their story through rare artifacts that bring this first contact to life.
Two Native Men Boarded English Ships in Summer 1584
Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe landed at Roanoke Island in July 1584 and spent six weeks making friends with the local Carolina Algonquian people.
Chief Wingina picked two men to learn about the English: Manteo from the Croatoan tribe and Wanchese from the Roanoke tribe. Manteo’s mom led the Croatoan people.
The English thought both men looked strong and talked them into sailing to London. Wingina likely wanted to learn about English weapons and tools by sending these men overseas.
Their Ship Crossed the Atlantic That Fall
Manteo and Wanchese left with Barlowe’s crew in September 1584, becoming some of the first Native Americans to cross the ocean.
During the long trip, they started learning English words from sailors while teaching basic Algonquian phrases. When they got to London in mid-September, they created quite a stir at the royal court.
People said they looked like “white Moors” and they soon wore brown taffeta English clothes instead of their native outfits. Neither man spoke English yet, which made talking to anyone very hard.
Raleigh Put Them Up in His Fancy London Home
Sir Walter Raleigh housed both men at his London mansion, Durham House, for eight months. They got nice rooms and lived as guests, though Wanchese started feeling more like a prisoner as time passed.
Raleigh kept most people from meeting his exotic visitors, wanting to gather information about Virginia for himself. He let some important European visitors meet them in October 1584 to show off his colonial plans.
The two men faced their first English winter, strange food, weird customs, and city life totally different from their coastal Carolina home.
A Smart Scientist Created a New Alphabet Just for Them
Thomas Harriot got the job of learning Carolina Algonquian and making a dictionary.
He created the world’s first complete phonetic alphabet with thirty-six special symbols that could record any human speech sound.
Harriot built this “universall Alphabet” to write down Algonquian words that regular English letters couldn’t handle.
The daily language lessons between Harriot and both men became very important for future talks between English and Native people.
The Two Men Felt Very Differently About English Ways
By Christmas 1584, Harriot could talk pretty well in Carolina Algonquian with both visitors. Manteo seemed really interested in learning English words and customs, and even showed curiosity about Christianity.
Wanchese stayed suspicious of what the English planned, learned as little English as possible, and clearly didn’t enjoy his time there.
Manteo grew more friendly and helpful while Wanchese grew more hostile toward their hosts.
They Helped Create the First Written Native American Language
Working closely with Manteo, Harriot made what might be the first written version of a North American Indian language.
Together they created an English-Algonquian dictionary with over 100 words and phrases from Carolina Algonquian.
One paper that still exists today shows the phrase “King Manteo did this” written using Harriot’s special Algonquian symbols. This language work saved words that would have been lost forever.
The Men Got Ready to Go Home in Spring 1585
In early 1585, both men moved to Plymouth to join Sir Richard Grenville’s trip back to America. Manteo had learned enough English to work as the official translator for the upcoming colony.
Wanchese agreed to return but seemed unwilling, probably seeing it as his only way to get home. They left Plymouth on April 9, 1585, on the Tiger with Thomas Harriot and artist John White also on board.
The trip back took only 21 days to reach the Caribbean, where they watched English ships attack Spanish vessels.
Wanchese Ran Off the Moment They Reached Home Waters
When they got near Roanoke Island in July 1585, Wanchese grabbed his chance to get away from the English. On July 3, Grenville sent him to tell Chief Wingina they had arrived, but Wanchese never came back.
He ran straight to Dasamonguepeuc village and started telling everyone to fight against the English newcomers.
Grenville worried enough to send John Arundell with Manteo to find Wanchese, but the villagers refused to hand him over.
Manteo Helped the Struggling English Colony Survive
Manteo helped Ralph Lane’s colonists make it through the tough winter of 1585-1586 after they arrived too late to grow any food.
He worked as a translator and guide when English groups explored the rivers and coastal areas. He split his time between his Croatoan homeland and helping the struggling English settlement.
He shared key information about Native American fighting styles, religious beliefs, and tribal boundaries.
Armed Fights Broke Out Under Wanchese’s Leadership
By March 1586, tensions boiled over between Wanchese’s group and Lane’s colonists who kept demanding food.
Wanchese joined forces with Chief Pemisapan (formerly Wingina) to push back against the English staying on their land.
After Lane killed Pemisapan in June 1586, Wanchese stepped up to lead the campaign to drive out the remaining colonists. His attacks successfully forced Grenville’s soldiers to leave Roanoke Island.
Their Choices Shaped the Future of Roanoke
When Lane gave up and left the colony in June 1586, Manteo chose to go back to London with the English for a second time.
Manteo returned again in 1587 with John White’s Lost Colony group and became the first Native American baptized as an Anglican.
The English gave him the title “Lord of Roanoke” and he kept working as a go-between until the colony mysteriously vanished.
Nobody knows what happened to Wanchese after 1587, though he might have helped attack the Lost Colony.
Their different paths showed how Native Americans across America responded to European settlers in many different ways.
Visiting Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, North Carolina
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site at 1401 National Park Drive in Manteo tells the story of Manteo and Wanchese, two Algonquian leaders who became the first Native Americans to visit England. You can visit for free and explore the grounds anytime.
The visitor center is open 9am to 5pm daily except Christmas.
Watch a 17-minute film about Algonquian-English interactions, then walk the Thomas Harriot Nature Trail through maritime forest to the earthen fort site.
This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.
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