But Clearchus put himself at the head of the rest of the troops,
 following out the plan of his previous orders, and they followed;
 and they reached the first stopping-place, See Xen. Anab.
 2.1.3 . and there joined Ariaeus and his army,
 at about midnight. Then, while they halted under arms in line of
 battle, the generals and captains had a meeting with Ariaeus; and
 the two parties—the Greek officers, and Ariaeus together with the
 highest in rank of his followers—made oath that they would not
 betray each other and that they would be allies, while the
 barbarians took an additional pledge to lead the way without
 treachery. These oaths they sealed by sacrificing a bull, a boar, and a ram over
 a shield, the Greeks dipping a sword in the blood and the barbarians
 a lance. After the pledges had been given, Clearchus said: And now, Ariaeus, since you and we are to make the same
 journey, tell us what view you hold in regard to the route—shall
 we return by the same way we came, or do you think you have
 discovered another way that is better? Ariaeus replied: If we should return by the way
 we came, we should perish utterly from starvation, for we now
 have no provisions whatever. For even on our way hither we were
 not able to get anything from the country during the last
 seventeen stages; and where there was anything, we consumed it
 entirely on our march through. Now, accordingly, we intend to
 take a route that is longer, to be sure, but one where we shall
 not lack provisions. And we must make our first marches
 as long as we can, in order to separate ourselves as far as
 possible from the King’s army; for if we once get a two or three
 days’ journey away from the King, he will not then be able to
 overtake us. For he will not dare to pursue us with a small
 army, and with a large array he will not find it possible to
 march rapidly; and perhaps, furthermore, he will lack
 provisions. This, said he, is the
 view which I hold, for my part.