From this place they marched through the Chalybes[1] seven stages, fifty parasangs.  These were the bravest men whom they encountered on the whole march, coming cheerily to close quarters with them.  They wore linen cuirasses reaching to the groin, and instead of the ordinary “wings” or basques, a thickly-plaited fringe of cords.  They were also provided with greaves and helmets, and at the girdle a short sabre, about as long as the Laconian dagger, with which they cut the throats of those they mastered, and after severing the head from the trunk they would march along carrying it, singing and dancing, when they drew within their enemy’s field of view.  They carried also a spear fifteen cubits long, lanced at one end[2].  This folk stayed in regular townships, and whenever the Hellenes passed by they invariably hung close on their heels fighting.  They had dwelling-places in their fortresses, and into them they had carried up their supplies, sot hat the Hellenes could get nothing from this district, but supported themselves on the flocks and herds they had taken from the Taochians.  After this the Hellenes reached the river Harpasus, which was four hundred feet broad.  Hence they marched through the Scythenians four stages—­twenty parasangs—­through a long level country to more villages, among which they halted three days, and got in supplies.

[1] These are the Armeno-Chalybes, so called by Pliny in
    contradistinction to another mountain tribe in Pontus so named,
    who were famous for their forging, and from whom steel received
    its Greek name {khalups}.  With these latter we shall make
    acquaintance later on.

[2] I.e. with a single point or spike only, the Hellenic spear having
    a spike at the butt end also.

Passing on from thence in four stages of twenty parasangs, they 19 reached a large and prosperous well-populated city, which went by the name of Gymnias[3], from which the governor of the country sent them a guide to lead them through a district hostile to his own.  This guide told them that within five days he would lead them to a place from which they would see the sea, “and,” he added, “if I fail of my word, you are free to take my life.”  Accordingly he put himself at their head; but he no sooner set foot in the country hostile to himself than he fell to encouraging them to burn and harry the land; indeed his exhortations were so earnest, it was plain that it was for this he had come, and not out of the good-will he bore the Hellenes.

[3] Gymnias is supposed (by Grote, “Hist. of Greece,” vol. ix. p. 161)
    to be the same as that which is now called Gumisch-Kana—­perhaps
    “at no great distance from Baibut,” Tozer, “Turkish Armenia,” p.
    432.  Others have identified it with Erzeroum, others with Ispir.

On the fifth day they reached the mountain, the name of which was Theches[4].  No sooner had the men in front ascended it and caught sight of the sea than a great cry arose, and Xenophon, in the rearguard, catching the sound of it, conjectured that another set of enemies must surely be attacking in front; for they were followed by the inhabitants of the country, which was all aflame; indeed the rearguard had killed some and captured others alive by laying an ambuscade; they had taken also about twenty wicker shields, covered with the raw hides of shaggy oxen.