sacrifice, (for he had heard that it had been consecrated to the sun,) being afraid, indeed, that it might die, as it had been injured by the journey. He then took some of the young horses, and gave one of them to each of the other generals and captains. The horses in this country were smaller than those of Persia, but far more spirited. The chief instructed the men to tie little bags round the feet of the horses, and other cattle, when they drove them through the snow, for without such bags they sunk up to their bellies.

Nothing could more strikingly set forth the lively mercurial temperament of the Greeks than the readiness with which they elastically rallied, from the dreadful depression of their long previous march, to the festive humors and epicurean pleasure-taking of their stay in that Armenian underground village. By the way, travelers tell us that to this day the Armenians of that region build their houses underground. Soon after the Greeks set forward from this place of rest and refection, Xenophon and Chirisophus are in good spirits enough to engage in a little highly characteristic mutual chaffing and raillery, which our readers would certainly wish not to have lost. Xenophon the Athenian has spoken to Chirisophus the Spartan, about the expediency of stealing a march on their enemy:

"But why should I speak doubtfully about stealing? For I hear that you Lacedæmonians, O Chirisophus, such of you at least as are of the better class, practice stealing from your boyhood, and it is not a disgrace, but an honor, to steal whatever the law does not forbid; while, in order that you may steal with the utmost dexterity, and strive to escape discovery, it is appointed by law that, if you are caught stealing, you are scourged. It is now high time for you, therefore, to give proof of your education, and to take care that we may not receive many stripes." "But I hear that you Athenians also," rejoined Chirisophus, 'are very clever at stealing the public money, though great danger threatens him that steals it; and that your best men steal it most, if indeed your best men are thought worthy to be your magistrates; so that it is time for you likewise to give proof of your education.”

Our readers will remember the story of the Spartan boy who, rather than be laughed at as a clumsy thief, let a stolen

fox, concealed under his apron, make a meal on his vitals. And so too peculation in public office is not exclusively a modern and an American foible! The result of the movement to steal a march was favorable. Once again the Greeks disposed themselves comfortably in villages stored with excellent provisions, raised and gathered by other hands than their own.

From this place of encampment, four days' march in advance brought them to the country of the Ta-o'chi-ans. Here they were likely to fail of supplies. The Taochians laid up their provisions in almost impregnable strongholds among the mountains. Coming to one such place, in which were huddled together men, women, and children, with a great number of cattle, Chirisophus attacked it. One company after another successively tired themselves out in the assault, until finally Xenophon arrived. Come in good time, said Chirisophus; we must take this place or starve. The enemy's defensive method of warfare was formidable. They kept up a continuous discharge of stones rolling down a cliff, under which any approach must be made. Xenophon proposed an ingenious plan, which was carried out with spirit, to make the enemy exhaust their supply of such ammunition. A number of men (Xenophon names them for honor) draw the enemy's discharge of stones, by making feints of advance and then immediately sheltering themselves behind a tree. The whole army stood watching the adventurers, and so eager an emulation was excited, that not many minutes passed before two of the Greeks ran, with successful audacity, the dangerous gauntlet, and forced their way into the strong

A panic, a madness, a wild suicidal despair, seized the occupants. Mothers flung their children over the precipice, jumping themselves after them. The men followed the dreadful example. Ore greedy Greek caught hold of a rich garment worn by a man about to cast himself down, hoping to make prize of it. But the frenzy of suicide proved

stronger than the passion for gain. The Greek with the Barbarian was dashed down the rocks, and there they both miserably perished. Very few survived to be made prisoners, but the booty of animals captured was great.

The next seven days of advance was through a country whose inhabitants were worse to encounter than any the Greeks had yet met. The army were obliged to sustain incessant harrying attacks in the rear, and for provisions they were shut up to subsist on the cattle seized from the wretched Taochians. The territory of the Scythi'ni lay next. Here nothing seems to have disturbed the march. After four days' travel over a level stretch of country, they come to a halt, for rest and the collecting of supplies. Four days further on they find a large town called Gym'ni-as. From this place the governor of the region is fain to give the Greeks a guide. He can send them across a district with whose people he is at war. The Ten Thousand go pillaging, burning, and laying waste, exhorted thereto by the guide, whose service to them they seem but too willing thus to repay. This guide made them a promise in starting that must greatly have inspirited the host. He said that on pain of death if he failed, he would in five days bring them to a point from which they could catch sight of the sea, (the Euxine or Black Sea.) What this meant to the Greeks, we cannot easily comprehend. They had all to a man been as accustomed to the sparkle of the sea as are the Swiss to the cold gleam of the summits of their Alps. Few things were so dreadful to a Greek, as to go inland out of reach and out of sight of the sea. The guide's promise was almost too much. to be believed. However on they go, till the fifth day. The story of what then occurred is told with such exquisite simplicity, half of nature, half of art, by Xenophon, that it would be unpardonable not to give our readers this memorable passage, in the historian's own language, which it is a pity even to have to translate:

On the fifth day they came to the mountain; and the name of it was The'ches. When the men who were in the front had mounted the height, and looked down upon the sea, a great shout proceeded from them; and Xenophon and the rear-guard, on hearing it, thought that some new enemies were assailing the front, for in the rear, too, the people from the country that they had burned were following them, and the rear-guard, by placing an ambuscade, had killed some, and taken others prisoners, and had captured about twenty shields made of raw ox-hides with the hair on. But as the noise still increased, and drew nearer, and those who came up from time to time kept running at full speed to join those who were continually shouting, the cries becoming louder as the men became more numerous, it appeared to Xenophon that it must be something of very great moment. Mounting his horse, therefore, and taking with him Lyc'ius and the cavalry, he hastened forward to give aid, when presently they heard the soldiers shouting, "The sea, the sea!" and cheering on one another. They then all began to run, the rear-guard as well as the rest, and the baggage-cattle and horses were put to their speed; and when they had all arrived at the top, the men embraced one another, and their generals and captains, with tears in their eyes. Suddenly, whoever it was that suggested it, the soldiers brought stones, and raised a large mound, on which they laid a number of raw ox-hides, staves, and shields taken from the enemy. The shields the guide himself hacked in pieces, and exhorted the rest to do the Soon after, the Greeks sent away the guide, giving him presents from the common stock, a horse, a silver cup, a Persian robe, and ten darics; but he showed most desire for the rings on their fingers, and obtained many of them from the soldiers. Having then pointed out to them a village where they might take up their quarters, and the road by which they were to proceed to the Macro'nes, when the evening came on he departed, pursuing his way during the night.

same.

The country of the Macrones was next to be traversed. And now occurs an incident forming one of the most grateful reliefs of all that diversify this checkered story. As the Greeks were preparing to cross the boundary river into the country of the Macrones, in the face of foes on the farther side ready to offer fierce opposition, forth stepped from the ranks a soldier, who said to Xenophon, “I have been a slave at Athens, but I believe this is my native country, and I should like to speak to my people." The happy result was

that a mutual compact was at once struck between the two parties, and the Greeks, through the next three days of their march, found friends to help them, instead of foes to fight them.

In the country of the Colchians, (a name which our readers will associate with the famous quest of the Golden Fleece at Colchis by the Argonauts,) lying next, the Greeks had trouble, which, however, they came out of with the usual good fortune that attended their skill and their valor. They here met with one mischance, curious enough to be given in Xenophon's description unchanged:

The number of bee-hives was extraordinary, and all the soldiers that ate of the combs lost their senses, vomited, and were affected with purging, and none of them were able to stand upright; such as had eaten a little were like men greatly intoxicated, and such as had eaten much were like madmen, and some like persons at the point of death. They lay upon the ground in consequence in great numbers, as if there had been a defeat; and there was general dejection. The next day no one of them was found dead; and they recovered their senses about the same hour that they had lost them on the preceding day; and on the third and fourth days they got up as if after having taken physic.

Two days more bring the Greeks to the sea. They reach it at Treb'i-zond, (Tra-pe'zus,) a Greek city settled in the territory of the Colchians. The citizens, inspired, perhaps, equally by generous sympathy for their countrymen, and by wholesome awe of such an organized array of veteran soldiers with appetite well whetted for plunder, entertain them hospitably. The Greeks here perform the vows of sacrifice made in their extremity. They also extemporize some games which Xenophon describes in the true Greek spirit:

When the sacrifice was ended, they gave the hides to Dracon'tius, and desired him to conduct them to the place where he had made the course. Dracontius, pointing to the place where they were standing, said, “This hill is an excellent place for running, in whatever direction the men may wish." ་་ 'But how will they be able," said they, "to wrestle on ground so rough and bushy?" "He that falls," said he, "will suffer the more."