Derbend-nâmeh er the History of Derbend. 501 
the Romans. (see Maïlla, T. IV. p. 4. 122. ac. Deguignes, Hist. gén. des Huns, T. Il. p. #80— 
&9%k. Sanucxu omua Jaxunea T. III. p. 121.) 
3) Though Ibnu-l-a’asam makes no mention of the Chinese here, we find it stated in 
Teberi, im the description of events belonging to a subsequent period (about 20 years later) 
that the Khazars after having made an irruption into Aderbijàän, when they were informed of 
the intention of the Arabs to make war upon them, so/icited the aid of the Emperor of China. 
These cireumstances alone, even without many other historical records now inaccessible to 
my researches, may clearly indicate, that the Chinese had indeed a share in the war between 
the Arabs and Khazars. If we take away from our authors statements the exaggeration which 
characterizes all the Eastern writers, and if we consider the Chinese Emperor with his army 
to be a Tulgaic, or even a Chinese general, appointed to the aïd of the Khazars by the court 
of the central Empire, there will then remain scarcely any reason to mistrust the narrative 
of our version. 
Remark 6. page 494. 
This word is otherwise read «sl :L,5 ; it is a little river, that flows through the northern 
frontiers of Tabasarân , and empties itself into the Caspian sea, about 3 miles to the north of 
Derbend. À village of the same name, Dervägk is there situated on ït, to the N. W. of this 
fortress at a distance of 4 miles, 
Remark 7. page #94, 
See appendix to this work; Extract IL from the translation of Jbnu-l- Aasam's work &c.; 
also the Ist extract from Teberi, 
The manyfold victories of the Arabs over their enemies, had indeed spread numerous su- 
perstitious reports among the vulgar of the time, one of which was, that no weapon could have 
any effect on an Arab. This instance of vulgar superstition we often find in many other histo- 
rical works, even in Mir-khond in the descriptions of the wars carried on by the Arabs of the 
time of Muhammed and of the four Khalifs. 
Remark 8, page #94. 
It is a peculiar exclamation, technically termed by Musulmans AE i. e. the gratifying or 
saying taf dl «God is great». The use of this expression at the time of combat or battle, 
belongs to the earliest days of Muhammedanism, even to Muhammed himself and his disciples. 
In modern times also, it is used among the Arahs, Persians and Turks duriug a hot battle and 
at the moment of their-attacks, The Turks add to it another term of exclamation of their own: 
oura! which is the second person singular of the Imperative of ges) ourmagk to strike, to 
beat, — with a final @ of interjection. The term being used generally at the moment of enthu- 
siasm the European neighbours of the Ottomans have adopted it at the early periods of inter- 
course with them and now it belongs almost to all the European languages. 
Mem, des sav. étrang. T. VI. 6% 
