This route led at first through the country of the Carduchi, a very warlike folk who had never been subjugated.  Here there was a good deal of hard fighting, the Carduchi being adepts in hill warfare, and particularly expert archers.  Such was the length and weight of their arrows that Greeks collected them, and used them as javelins.  Seven days of this brought the retreating force to the river Centrites, which parts the Carduchian mountains from the province of Armenia.  With a barely fordable river, troops in evidence on the other side, and the Carduchi hanging on their rear, the passage offered great difficulties, solved by the discovery of a much shallower ford.  A feint at one point by the rearguard drew off the enemy on the opposite bank, while the main body crossed at the shallows, which the rearguard also managed to pass by a successful ruse which misled the Carduchi.

The Persian governor of Western Armenia, Tiribazus, offered safe passage through his province, but scouts brought information that large forces were collecting, and would dispute the passage of a defile through which the army must pass.  This point, however, was reached by a forced march, and the enemy was put to rout.

For some days after this the marching was very severe; the men had to struggle forward on very nearly empty stomachs, through blizzards, suffering terribly from frostbite and the blinding effect of the snow on their eyes, so that at times nothing short of actual threats from the officers could induce the exhausted men to toil forward; and all the time the enemy’s skirmishers were harassing the troops and cutting off stragglers.  These, however, were finally dispersed by a sudden onslaught of the rearguard, and after this a more populous district was reached, where food and wine abounded, and the Greeks, who were not ill-received, made some days’ halt to recuperate.

Here a guide was obtained for the next stages; but on the third night he deserted, because Cheirisophus had lost his temper and struck him.  This incident was the only occasion of a serious difference between Xenophon and the elder commander.  On the seventh day after this the river Phasis was crossed; but two days later, on approaching a mountain pass, it was seen to be occupied in force.  A council of war was held, at which some jesting passed, Xenophon remarking on the reputation of the Lacedaemonians as adepts in thieving, a jibe which Cheirisophus retorted on the Athenians; as the business in hand was to “steal a match” on the enemy, each encouraged the other to act up to the national reputation.  In the night, a detachment of volunteers captured the ridge above the pass; the enemy facing the main body beat a hasty retreat when they found their position turned.

Another five days brought the army into the country of the Taochi, where the Greeks had to rush a somewhat dangerous position in order to capture supplies.  A space of some twenty yards was open to such a storm of missiles from above that it could only be passed by drawing the enemy’s fire and making a dash before fresh missiles were accumulated.  When this was accomplished, however, the foe offered no practical resistance, but flung themselves over the cliffs.