The stone quarry, which supplied limestone for building chimnies at camp Missouri, was situate at the distance of an hundred yards below our cantonment. The labourers that were employed in this quarry opened upon many large fissures, in which were found a number of serpents that had entered there for the purpose of hybernating. Of these, three species appear to be new.[194] This morning three Omawhaws were fired upon by a war-party of five Ioway Indians, and two were wounded; this occurred on the east side of the river, nearly opposite to our cantonment. When they fired, each one called out his name agreeably to the Indian custom. A party of Omawhaws then assembled, and pursued them about fifteen miles, but without success. Two Oto warriors, and a boy, nephew of Ishta-gre-ja, Gray Eyes the elder, visited us this afternoon. They have been hunting on Blue Water creek, in the neighbourhood of the Konzas hunting camps, and not distant from the village of the latter; they have been so fortunate as to take one hundred and forty beavers, the skins of which they left at {168} their village, under the care of the son of Gray Eyes and their squaws; their business in this quarter is to look out for the best market for their peltries. They say it was certainly not the Konzas who stole the horses from their brethren who are encamped near the confluence of the Platte. They attribute that theft to the Ioways, who, they say, are still fools, as they always have proved themselves to be. 30th. In the morning a nimbus from the north. An imperfect parhelion appeared at sunrise, consisting of three luminous spots, at about 22° distant from each other in the horizon; one of them was the real place of the sun, and the others were to the north and south of it. As the sun ascended towards the zenith, the mock suns continued to ascend equally and parallel with it, but became gradually fainter until they disappeared near the zenith. Evening. A complete paraselene appeared about the moon, of the diameter of 45 degrees. The mercury was below Zero the greater part of the day, in Fahrenheit's thermometer. 31st. Several Canadians in the employ of the Missouri Fur Company, came this evening to dance and sing before us, agreeably to the custom of their countrymen, in celebration of the termination of the year. They were adorned with paint after the Indian manner, clothed with bison robes, and had bells attached to different parts of their dress. So completely were they disguised, that three of their employers, who happened to be present, had much difficulty in recognizing them. This dance is called _La Gineolet_,[195] and may have had its origin in the same cause that produced our _Belshnickles_, who make their appearance on Christmas-eve. We gave them what was expected, whiskey, flour, and meat.