Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/129

 swallows that nestle in the summits of its rocky precipices. These now echoed with the shouts of the natives, who followed us, with their whole pigmy fleet, to Fort Good Hope, which we reached between 8 and 9 o'clock, and were joyfully welcomed by Mr. Bell, who is son-in-law to Mr. Dease.

The establishment is now placed on the right bank of the river, opposite the upper Manitoo Island, where it stood for several years. The new situation is elevated; a precaution rendered necessary by the entire destruction, in June, 1836, of the former post, at the disruption of the ice, which rushed down with such overwhelming force as to sweep almost completely over the island, though several miles in extent, cutting, down the timber, like grass before the scythe, and burying the place under two fathoms water. The terrified residents took to their boat, and escaped, almost miraculously, into a small lake in the centre of the island. There the ruins of the overthrown wood averted the fury of the inundation; and in this place of refuge they remained, with the ice tossed up in huge fragments, forming a gigantic wall around them, till the danger was past. We found here five Loucheux, from whom we learned the distressing fact, that three of their tribe had been killed, and a fourth