The Daughter of Virginia Dare

In Short

This novel reimagines the fate of the "Lost Colony" by intertwining the survival of Eleanor Dare’s daughter with the rise of the Jamestown settlement. By casting the daughter of Virginia Dare as the "Virginia Water Lily," a young woman raised among the Catawba tribe, the narrative transforms a historical enigma into a romanticized fable of cultural synthesis. It remains a notable example of early 20th-century American historical fiction, reflecting the era’s fascination with the foundational myths of the Virginia colony and the idealized, often tragic, figures of its past.

The Story

The narrative begins in 1587, as Eleanor Dare departs England with high hopes for a new life in Virginia. The voyage is difficult, and upon arrival, the colony faces immediate, crushing hardship. Governor White leaves for England to secure supplies, but becomes trapped by the encroaching threat of the Spanish Armada. Back in the New World, the starving colonists fall to sickness and Indian raids. Eleanor Dare’s husband dies, leaving their infant daughter, the "Virginia Water Lily," to be raised by the Catawba chief Winginia.

The child grows up in the wilderness, possessing an almost mystical influence over her tribe. She acts as a mediator, even saving Winginia’s life by healing a poisoned wound. Despite her upbringing, she feels a lingering, inexplicable connection to the pale-faced people of her heritage. Meanwhile, the narrative shifts to the arrival of John Smith and the Jamestown colonists. Smith becomes a central figure, struggling against internal mutiny and the treachery of men like Wingfield, while building a tenuous peace with the indigenous people.

The story highlights the role of Pocahontas as a "ministering angel" who repeatedly saves the starving Jamestown settlers. Her devotion to Smith—whom she calls her "pale face father"—is portrayed as the emotional center of the colony’s survival. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is captured by Captain Argall as a hostage for peace. During her captivity, she falls in love with John Rolfe. Despite his internal struggle between his pride in his ancestry and his love for the "Indian princess," Rolfe marries her.

Pocahontas is eventually taken to England, where she is presented at the court of King James I. Her transformation from a woman of the wilderness to the "Lady Rebecca" is complete, yet her health fails shortly after. In her final moments, she comforts her husband, singing hymns as she passes away. In a concluding mystical sequence, the narrative suggests a spiritual continuity, positing that the spirit of Virginia Dare, having lived through the life and legacy of Pocahontas, has finally returned to the land of her fathers.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Eleanor Dare bids a sorrowful farewell to England, haunted by a "strange fear" that an unknown shadow is falling upon her family. Her husband encourages her to look toward the west, describing the sun as a "pathway of light" promising a future of home and happiness.

The colony falters Governor White sails away for reinforcements, but the threat of the Spanish Armada prevents his return, leaving the colonists to face starvation and disease alone. Eleanor’s husband dies in their final days on Roanoke, marking the end of the original settlement's hope.

The life of the Lily Raised in the wilderness, the girl known as the Virginia Water Lily wields a strange power over the Catawba people and the natural world. She remains unaware of her true parentage, though she harbors a deep, ancestral longing for the sea and the people who once sailed upon it.

Jamestown’s struggle John Smith faces internal mutiny and the harsh realities of colonial survival, eventually becoming President after his enemies are exposed. His leadership is defined by tense diplomacy with indigenous leaders and a reliance on the food provided by the young Pocahontas.

The union of two worlds John Rolfe grapples with the social implications of marrying an Indian princess, ultimately choosing his affection over the prejudices of his class. The couple travels to England, where Pocahontas receives royal honors before her tragic death.

The People

Eleanor Dare appears briefly as a figure of tragic maternal devotion, whose quiet sacrifice sets the stage for the book’s central mystery. Her daughter, the "Virginia Water Lily," serves as a bridge between the Lost Colony and the Jamestown era; she is defined by her natural wisdom, her healing touch, and her ultimate, if mysterious, spiritual return to her English roots.

John Smith is depicted as a man of grit and charisma, whose survival of captivity and mutiny is framed as a matter of divine providence. His relationship with Pocahontas is purely platonic and protective, with Smith serving as a father figure who guides her toward the "pale faces." Pocahontas herself is portrayed as a noble, self-sacrificing soul whose love for the settlers is the primary engine for the colony’s success. John Rolfe, by contrast, is a figure of introspection, caught between his rigid English pride and the genuine emotional pull of the woman he eventually calls his wife. The supporting character Adam Clotworthy provides a touch of humor and common-man perspective, representing the loyal, if bewildered, subjects of the early colonial project.

In Its Own Voice

“How hard it is to bid farewell to home and friends and turn my face to this unknown land,” said Eleanor Dare to herself as she stood on the deck of the Admiral.

(Eleanor Dare expresses her foreboding as the colony departs for the New World.)

“Pocahontas loves the pale face better than life,” she answered, cuddling down into his arms.

(Pocahontas declares her loyalty to John Smith after saving him from an ambush.)

“The Spirit of Virginia Dare has Returned to the Land of Her Fathers!”

(The narrative concludes with this proclamation as the soul of the lost child finds peace.)

What It's Really About

The book explores the concept of destiny as a driving force in history. It suggests that the "lost" legacy of the Roanoke settlers was not truly erased, but instead woven into the fabric of the later, successful Jamestown colony. The narrative posits that the American experience is a synthesis of two disparate worlds, mediated by women who transcend their origins. It seeks to provide a mythic explanation for the survival of the Virginia colony, framed by a providential view of history where individual sacrifices are guided by a higher purpose, ultimately linking the tragic end of the first settlers to the eventual triumph of the second.

Why Read It Today

This book is a fascinating artifact for readers interested in how early 20th-century authors constructed the mythology of America. The writing is highly romanticized, filled with a lush, almost floral prose style that elevates historical figures into archetypes of virtue and villainy. It will particularly resonate with those who enjoy the "what-if" allure of the Lost Colony mystery and the legendary, stylized retellings of Pocahontas’s life common to historical fiction of the 1900s.

Potential readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes toward indigenous peoples, which are presented through a colonial, paternalistic lens typical of the era in which it was written. The dialogue and characterizations are often dramatic and heightened, favoring emotional clarity over historical realism. For the modern reader, the book functions less as an accurate history and more as an atmospheric, period-piece fable. It captures a specific, bygone fascination with the "heroic" era of settlement, offering a nostalgic, if sometimes difficult, look at the stories Americans told themselves about their origins. It is a slow, meditative read that rewards those looking for a sense of historical wonder rather than a modern, critical examination of the past.