[4] Some MSS. give “the sacred mountain.”  The height in question has
    been identified with “the ridge called Tekieh-Dagh to the east of
    Gumisch-Kana, nearer to the sea than that place” (Grote, ib. p.
    162), but the exact place from which they caught sight of the sea
    has not been identified as yet, and other mountain ranges have
    been suggested.

But as the shout became louder and nearer, and those who from time to time came up, began racing at the top of their speed towards the shouters, and the shouting continually recommenced with yet greater volume as the numbers increased, Xenophon settled in his mind that something extraordinary must have happened, so he mounted his horse, and taking with him Lycius and the cavalry, he galloped to the rescue.  Presently they could hear the soldiers shouting and passing on the joyful word, “The sea! the sea!”

Thereupon they began running, rearguard and all, and the baggage 24 animals and horses came galloping up.  But when they had reached the summit, then indeed they fell to embracing one another—­generals and officers and all—­and the tears trickled down their cheeks.  And on a sudden, some one, whoever it was, having passed down the order, the soldiers began bringing stones and erecting a great cairn, whereon they dedicated a host of untanned skins, and staves, and captured wicker shields, and with his own hand the guide hacked the shields to pieces, inviting the rest to follow his example.  After this the Hellenes dismissed the guide with a present raised from the common store, to wit, a horse, a silver bowl, a Persian dress, and ten darics; but what he most begged to have were their rings, and of these he got several from the soldiers.  So, after pointing out to them a village where they would find quarters, and the road by which they would proceed towards the land of the Macrones, as evening fell, he turned his back upon them in the night and was gone.

VIII

From this point the Hellenes marched through the country of the 1 Macrones three stages—­ten parasangs, and on the first day they reached the river, which formed the boundary between the land of the Macrones and the land of the Scythenians.  Above them, on their right, they had a country of the sternest and ruggedest character, and on their left another river, into which the frontier river discharges itself, and which they must cross.  This was thickly fringed with trees which, though not of any great bulk, were closely packed.  As soon as they came up to them, the Hellenes proceeded to cut them down in their haste to get out of the place as soon as possible.  But the Macrones, armed with wicker shields and lances and hair tunics, were already drawn up to receive them opposite the crossing.  They were cheering one another on, and kept up a steady pelt of stones into the river, though they failed to reach the other side or do any harm.