Forgot about one more reference in the patimokkha, pÄcittiya 27:
>âyo pana bhikkhu bhikkhuniyÄ saddhiá¹ saá¹vidhÄya ekaddhÄnamaggaá¹ paá¹ipajjeyya, antamaso gÄmantarampi, aññatra samayÄ, pÄcittiyaá¹. tatthÄyaá¹ samayo . *satthagamanÄ«yo* hoti maggo sÄsaá¹
kasammato sappaá¹ibhayo â" ayaá¹ tattha samayoâti.
From the CPED:
>satthagamanīya: (a path) to be passed with a caravan. (adj.)
It literally means, that which cannot be travelled without a sattha:
>*satthagamanÄ«yo* nÄma maggo na sakkÄ hoti vinÄ satthena gantuá¹.
Given the origin of the exception to this rule, where there was a large group going, but the Bhikkhus had the Bhikkhunis go later, whereupon they were assaulted by thieves, and no mention of weapons anywhere, it seems clear that sattha refers to the large group in this instance. Given the similarity to the Bhikkhuni rule, there is little doubt the meaning there is the same.