Gold and silver were not actually found around the Roanoke settlement (though the Algonquians were noted to have copper jewelry). However, the accounts by members of the various Roanoke expeditions, particularly that of Richard Grenville, repeatedly testify to the presence of gold, silver, iron and other precious or useful metals in reasonable abundance, either which the colonists' saw (or thought they saw) for themselves, or which were rumored by the Indians to be further inland. Quinn and other writers argue that, though the colonists may have truly thought that they had found evidence for these metals, their stressing in the text is primarily propagandic in purpose, using the alleged presence of precious metals as an impetus for further efforts of colonization by Britain.
The following is a poem by Thomas Harriot entitled "Three Sea Marriadges" which references "siluer & Indian gold" as a reason for the English making voyages to the Americas: "Three new Marriadges here are made - one of the staff & sea astrolabe - card and compasse is another - one is sister thothers a brother. - Of the Sunne && starr is another - Which now agree like sister & brother. - And the carde & compasse which now of late - will now agree like master & mate. - If you voyage well in this your iourney - They will be the Kinge of Spaynes Atomy - To bringe you to siluer & Indian gold - which will kepe you in age from hunger & cold - God spare you well & send you fayre wether - And that agayne we may meet to gether." - Thomas Harriot
Works Cited: ; The Roanoke Voyages, 1584-1590: Volumes I, ed. David Beers Quinn (London: Hakluyt Society, 1955), 314.;