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As far as their country, the tract of land whereof I have been
speaking is all a smooth plain, and the soil deep; beyond you enter on
a region which is rugged and stony. Passing over a great extent of
this rough country, you come to a people dwelling at the foot of lofty
mountains, who are said to be all - both men and women - bald from
their birth, to have flat noses, and very long chins. These people
speak a language of their own,. the dress which they wear is the same
as the Scythian. They live on the fruit of a certain tree, the name
of which is Ponticum; in size it is about equal to our fig-tree, and
it bears a fruit like a bean, with a stone inside. When the fruit is
ripe, they strain it through cloths; the juice which runs off is black
and thick, and is called by the natives "aschy." They lap this up
with their tongues, and also mix it with milk for a drink; while they
make the lees, which are solid, into cakes, and eat them instead of
meat; for they have but few sheep in their country, in which there is
no good pasturage. Each of them dwells under a tree, and they cover
the tree in winter with a cloth of thick white felt, but take off the
covering in the summer-time. No one harms these people, for they are
looked upon as sacred - they do not even possess any warlike weapons.
When their neighbours fall out, they make up the quarrel; and when
one flies to them for refuge, he is safe from all hurt. They are
called the Argippaeans.
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