en the protection of a watch. He and his
rear-guard as well as the rest were obliged thus to pass the night
without either food or fire, distributing scouts in the best way that
the case admitted. Meanwhile Cheirisophus with the van division had got
into a village, which they reached so unexpectedly, that they found the
women fetching water from a fountain outside the wall, and the head-man
of the village in his house within. This division here obtained rest and
refreshment, and at daybreak some of their soldiers were sent to look
after the rear. It was with delight that Xenophon saw them approach, and
sent them back to bring up in their arms, into the neighboring village,
those exhausted soldiers who had been left behind.

Repose was now indispensable after the recent sufferings. There were
several villages near at hand, and the generals, thinking it no longer
dangerous to divide the army, quartered the different divisions among
them according to lot. Polykrates an Athenian, one of the captains in
the division of Xenophon, requested his permission to go at once and
take possession of the village assigned to him, before any of the
inhabitants could escape. Accordingly, running at speed with a few of
the swiftest soldiers, he came upon the village so suddenly as to seize
the head-man with his newly-married daughter, and several young horses
intended as a tribute for the king. This village, as well as the rest,
was found to consist of houses excavated in the ground (as the Armenian
villages are at the present day), spacious within, but with a narrow
mouth like a well, entered by a descending ladder. A separate entrance
was dug for conveniently admitting the cattle. All of them were found
amply stocked with live cattle of every kind, wintered upon hay; as well
as with wheat, barley, vegetables, and a sort of barley-wine or beer in
tubs, with the grains of barley on the surface. Reeds or straws without
any joint in them, were lying near, through which they sucked the
liquid: Xenophon did his utmost to conciliate the head-man (who spoke
Persian, and with whom he communicated through the Perso-Grecian
interpreter of the army), promising him that not one of his relations
should be maltreated, and that he should be fully remunerated if he
would conduct the army safely out of the country, into that of the
Chalybes which he described as being adjacent. By such treatment the
head-man was won over, promised his aid, and even reveale