e　disposed　to　take　the　matter　deeply　to　heart；　being　apprehensive　that　they　might　not　know　where　to　get　provisions　if　the　enemy　burnt　the　villages。
  Cheirisophus　and　his　men　were　returning　from　their　sally　of　defence　when　Xenophon　and　his　party　descended；　and　the　latter　rode　along　the　　　　4　ranks　as　the　rescuing　party　came　up；　and　greeted　them　thus：　〃Do　you　not　see；　men　of　Hellas；　they　admit　that　the　country　is　now　ours；　what　they　stipulated　against　our　doing　when　they　made　the　treaty；　viz。　that　we　were　not　to　fire　the　king's　country；　they　are　now　themselves　doingsetting　fire　to　it　as　if　it　were　not　their　own。　But　we　will　be　even　with　them；　if　they　leave　provisions　for　themselves　anywhere；　there　also　shall　they　see　us　marching；〃　and；　turning　to　Cheirisophus；　he　added：　〃But　it　strikes　me；　we　should　sally　forth　against　these　incendiaries　and　protect　our　country。〃　Cheirisophus　retorted：　〃That　is　not　quite　my　view；　I　say；　let　us　do　a　little　burning　ourselves；　and　they　will　cease　all　the　quicker。〃
  When　they　had　got　back　to　the　villages；　while　the　rest　were　busy　about　provisions；　the　generals　and　officers　met：　and　here　there　was　deep　despondency。　For　on　the　one　side　were　exceedingly　high　mountains；　on　the　other　a　river　of　such　depth　that　they　failed　to　reach　the　bottom　with　their　spears。　In　the　midst　of　their　perplexities；　a　Rhodian　came　up　with　a　proposal；　as　follows：　〃I　am　ready；　sirs　to　carry　you　across；　four　thousand　heavy　infantry　at　a　time；　if　you　will　furnish　me　with　what　I　need　and　give　me　a　talent　into　the　bargain　for　my　pains。〃　When　asked；　〃What　shall　you　need？〃　he　replied：　〃Two　thousand　wine…skins。　I　see　there　are　plenty　of　sheep　and　goats　and　asses。　They　have　only　to　be　flayed；　and　their　skins　inflated；　and　they　will　readily　give　us　a　passage。　I　shall　want　also　the　straps　which　you　use　for　the　baggage　animals。　With　these　I　shall　couple　the　skins　to　one　another；　then　I　shall　moor　each　skin　by　attaching　stones　and　letting　them　down　like　anchors　into　the　water。　Then　I　shall　carry　them　across；　and　when　I　have　fastened　the　links　at　both　ends；　I　shall　place　layers　of　wood　on　them　and　a　coating　of　earth　on　the　top　of　that。　You　will　see　in　a　minute　that　there's　no　danger　of　your　drowning；　for　every　skin　will　be　able　to　support　a　couple　of　men　without　sinking；　and　the　wood　and　earth　will　prevent　your　slipping　off。〃
  The　generals　thought　it　a　pretty　invention　enough；　but　its　realisation　impracticable；　for　on　the　other　side　were　masses　of　cavalry　posted　and　ready　to　bar　the　passage；　who；　to　begin　with；　would　not　suffer　the　　　　　　12　first　detachment　of　crossers　to　carry　out　any　item　of　the　programme。
  Under　these　circumstances；　the　next　day　they　turned　right　about　face；　and　began　retracing　their　steps　in　the　direction　of　Babylon　to　the　unburnt　villages；　having　previously　set　fire　to　those　they　left；　so　that　the　enemy　did　not　ride　up　to　them；　but　stood　and　stared；　all　agape　to　see　in　what　direction　the　Hellenes　would　betake　themselves　and　what　they　were　minded　to　do。　Here；　again；　while　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　were　busy　about　provisions；　the　generals　and　officers　met　in　council；　and　after　collecting　the　prisoners　together；　submitted　them　to　a　cross…examination　touching　the　whole　country　round；　the　names；　and　so　forth；　of　each　district。
  The　prisoners　informed　them　that　the　regions　south；　through　which　they　had　come；　belonged　to　the　district　towards　Babylon　and　Media；　the　road　east　led　to　Susa　and　Ecbatana；　where　the　king　is　said　to　spend　summer　and　spring；　crossing　the　river；　the　road　west　led　to　Lydia　and　Ionia；　and　the　part　through　the　mountains　facing　towards　the　Great　Bear；　led；　they　said；　to　the　Carduchians＇1＇。　They　were　a　people；　so　said　the　prisoners；　dwelling　up　on　the　hills；　addicted　to　war；　and　not　subject　to　the　king；　so　much　so　that　once；　when　a　royal　army　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　strong　had　invaded　them；　not　a　man　came　back；　owing　to　the　intricacies　of　the　country。　Occasionally；　however；　they　made　truce　or　treaty　with　the　satrap　in　the　plain；　and；　for　the　nonce；　there　would　be　intercourse：　〃they　will　come　in　and　out　amongst　us；〃　〃and　we　will　go　in　and　out　amongst　them；〃　said　the　captives。
  ＇1＇　See　Dr。　Kiepert；　〃Man。　Anc。　Geog。　（Mr。　G。　A。　Macmillan）　iv。　47。　　　　　The　Karduchians　or　Kurds　belong　by　speech　to　the　Iranian　stock；　　　　　forming　in　fact　their　farthest　outpost　to　the　west；　little　given　　　　　to　agriculture；　but　chiefly　to　the　breeding　of　cattle。　Their　name；　　　　　pronounced　Kardu　by　the　ancient　Syrians　and　Assyrians；　Kordu　by　　　　　the　Armenians　（plural　Kordukh）；　first　appears　in　its　narrower　　　　　sense　in　western　literature　in　the　pages　of　the　eye…witness　　　　　Xenophon　as　｛Kardoukhoi｝。　Later　writers　knew　of　a　small　kingdom　　　　　here　at　the　time　of　the　Roman　occupation；　ruled　by　native　princes；　　　　　who　after　Tigranes　II　（about　80　B。C。）　recognised　the　overlordship　　　　　of　the　Armenian　king。　Later　it　became　a　province　of　the　Sassanid　　　　　kingdom；　and　as　such　was　in　297　A。D。　handed　over　among　the　　　　　regiones　transtigritanae　to　the　Roman　empire；　but　in　364　was　again　　　　　ceded　to　Persia。
  After　hearing　these　statements；　the　generals　seated　apart　those　who　　　　　17　claimed　to　have　any　special　knowledge　of　the　country　in　any　direction；　they　put　them　to　sit　apart　without　making　it　clear　which　particular　route　they　intended　to　take。　Finally　the　resolution　to　which　they　came　was　that　they　must　force　a　passage　through　the　hills　into　the　territory　of　the　Kurds；　since；　according　to　what　their　informants　told　them；　when　they　had　once　passed　these；　they　would　find　themselves　in　Armeniathe　rich　and　large　territory　governed　by　Orontas；　and　from　Armenia；　it　would　be　easy　to　proceed　in　any　direction　whatever。　Thereupon　they　offered　sacrifice；　so　as　to　be　ready　to　start　on　the　march　as　soon　as　the　right　moment　appeared　to　have　arrived。　Their　chief　fear　was　that　the　high　pass　over　the　mountains　must　be　occupied　in　advance：　and　a　general　order　was　issued；　that　after　supper　every　one　should　get　his　kit　together　for　starting；　and　repose；　in　readiness　to　follow　as　soon　as　the　word　of　command　was　given。
  BOOK　IV
  ＇In　the　preceding　portion　of　the　narrative　a　full　account　is　given　of　the　incidents　of　the　march　up　to　the　battle；　and　of　the　occurrences　after　the　battle　during　the　truce　which　was　established　between　the　king　and　the　Hellenes；　who　marched　up　with　Cyrus；　and　thirdly；　of　the　fighting　to　which　the　Hellenes　were　exposed；　after　the　king　and　Tissaphernes　had　broken　the　treaty；　while　a　Persian　army　hung　on　their　rear。　Having　finally　reached　a　point　at　which　the　Tigris　was　absolutely　impassable　owing　to　its　depth　and　breadth；　while　there　was　no　passage　along　the　bank　itself；　and　the　Carduchian　hills　hung　sheer　over　the　river；　the　generals　took　the　resolution　above　mentioned　of　forcing　a　passage　through　the　mountains。　The　information　derived　from　the　prisoners　taken　along　the　way　led　them　to　believe　that　once　across　the　Carduchian　mountains　they　would　have　the　choice　either　of　crossing　the　Tigrisif　they　liked　to　do　soat　its　sources　in　Armenia；　or　of　going　round　them；　if　so　they　preferred。　Report　further　said　that　the　sources　of　the　Euphrates　also　were　not　far　from　those　of　the　Tigris；　and　this　is　actually　the　case。　The　advance　into　the　country　of　the　Carduchians　was　conducted　with　a　view　partly　to　secrecy；　and　partly　to　speed；　so　as　to　effect　their　entry　before　the　enemy　could　occupy　the　passes。＇
  I
  It　was　now　about　the　last　watch；　and　enough　of　the　night　remained　to　　　　1　allow　them　to　cross　the　valley　under　cover　of　darkness；　when；　at　the　word　of　command；　they　rose　and　set　off　on　their　march；　reaching　the　mountains　at　daybreak。　At　this　stage　of　the　march　Cheirisophus；　at　the　head　of　his　own　division；　with　the　whole　of　the　light　troops；　led　the　van；　while　Xenophon　followed　behind　with　the　heavy　infantry　of　the　rearguard；　but　without　any　light　troops；　since　there　seemed　to　be　no　danger　of　pursuit　or　attack　from　the　rear；　while　they　were　making　their　way　up　hill。　Cheirisophus　reached　the　summit　without　any　of　the　　　6　enemy　perceiving　him。　Then　he　led　on　slowly；　and　the　rest　of　the　army　followed；　wave　upon　wave；　cresting　the　summit　and　descending　into　the　villages　which　nestled　in　the　hollows　and　recesses　of　the　hills。
  Thereupon　the　Carduchians　abandoned　their　dwelling　places；　and　with　their　wives　and　children　fled　to　the　mountains；　so　there　was　plenty　of　provisions　to　be　got　for　the　mere　trouble　of　taking；　and　the　homesteads　too　were　well　supplied　with　a　copious　store　of　bronze　vessels　and　utensils　which　the　Hellenes　kept　their　hands　off；　abstaining　at　the　same　time　from　all　pursuit　of　the　folk　themselves；　gently　handling　them；　in　hopes　that　the　Carduchians　might　be　willing　to　give　them　friendly　passage　through　their　country；　since　they　too　were　enemies　of　the　king：　only　they　helped　themselves　to　such　provisions　as　fell　in　their　way；　which　indeed　was　a　sheer　necessity。　But　the　Carduchians　neither　gave　ear；　when　they　called　to　them；　nor　showed　any　other　friendly　sign；　and　now；　as　the　last　of　the　Hellenes　descended　into　the　villages　from　the　pass；　they　were　already　in　the　dark；　since；　owing　to　the　narrowness　of　the　road；　the　whole　day　had　been　spent　in　the　ascent　and　descent。　At　that　instant　a　party　of　the　Carduchians；　who　h