ner of dress, and living on the produce
of trees. The tree on the fruit of which they live is called the Pontic
tree, and it is about the size of a fig-tree: this bears a fruit the
size of a bean, containing a stone. When the fruit has ripened, they
strain it through cloths and there flows from it a thick black juice,
and this juice which flows from it is called as-chy. This they either
lick up or drink mixed with milk, and from its lees, that is the solid
part, they make cakes and use them for food; for they have not many
cattle, since the pastures there are by no means good. Each man has his
dwelling under a tree, in winter covering the tree all round with close
white felt-cloth, and in summer without it. These are injured by no men,
for they are said to be sacred, and they possess no weapon of war. These
are they also who decide the disputes rising among their neighbours; and
besides this, whatever fugitive takes refuge with them is injured by no
one: and they are called Argippaians. 30

24. Now as far as these bald-headed men there is abundantly clear
information about the land and about the nations on this side of them;
for not only do certain of the Scythians go to them, from whom it is not
difficult to get information, but also some of the Hellenes who are at
the trading-station of the Borysthenes and the other trading-places of
the Pontic coast: and those of the Scythians who go to them transact
their business through seven interpreters and in seven different
languages.

25. So far as these, I say, the land is known; but concerning the region
to the North of the bald-headed men no one can speak with certainty,
for lofty and impassable mountains divide it off, and no one passes over
them. However these bald-headed men say (though I do not believe it)
that the mountains are inhabited by men with goats' feet; and that after
one has passed beyond these, others are found who sleep through six
months of the year. This I do not admit at all as true. However, the
country to the East of the bald-headed men is known with certainty,
being inhabited by the Issedonians, but that which lies beyond both the
bald-headed men and the Issedonians towards the North Wind is unknown,
except so far as we know it from the accounts given by these nations
which have just been mentioned.

26. The Issedonians are said to have these customs:--when a man's father
is dead, all the relations bring cattle to the house, and then having
slain