Derbend-nâmeh or the History of Derbend. 567 
our attention on thy Ass; now, whatever will occur to thee, consult the Ass. » — So whatever 
occurred to Mervân in the affairs of the kingdom he consulted the Ass; and if good, the 
Ass nodded (as it were saÿing) ét és good; but if bad, the Ass raised his head (meaning), il 
is not good.» — The story, though ridiculous and incredible to our civilized reader, well 
characterizes the poor and deplorable state of the age, in which ignorance triumphed through- 
oùt even the courts of the powerful sovereïgns of the East, and in which universal super- 
Slition_procured wealth, glory and power for hundreds of Dja’di-Derhemis, Muskanna's, 
Büäbecs, Djenabis, Hasans and many others. — There is however another and more favou- 
rable opinion of the reason of Mervàn's bemg entitled to this surname, it consists in the 
following : Jd] dis the year of the Ass with the Arabs was the last year or the close of a 
century; Mervän being the last of the sovereigns of Beni- Umayieh, whose reign continued 
more than 90 years, was, therefore, considered as the finisher of the century or the Khalife of 
the year of the Ass. For this reason he Fi entitled to this surname. See Teberi, Part VL. for 
lo ye Css : — Benakiti for Use € CLS, == 
Remark 3. page 560. 
Neiïther in Klaproth’s translation nor in the MS. of St. Petersburg is there anything men- 
tioned about Mervän’s being appointed governor of Derbend. In both, the arrival of Mervän 
“is related in such à way as to suggest an idea of a greater authority than that of governor. 
This is more conformable to what we learn from Tebertï. There we find, that when Musli- 
meh returned from Aderbijàn to Syria (this must have taken place about 117.), he appointed 
Mervän Kbhalif, or rather viceroy of Aderbijän. But the Khalif of the Saracens deposed him, 
and gave the office to Sail, the son of 4mr, who, once before had abtained the same au- 
thority (see Rem 1 1o Part IV of the Derbend-nâmeh). But afier some time Sa’id, having lost 
his sight, was called home and his place again bestowed upon Mervän (about 119), who directed 
his way to Derbend &c, (see our appendix for JA), 
Remark #. page 560. 
.[n our MS. there is no mention of Mervän’s building aqueducts about Derbend , as we read 
in Klaproth’s translation and in the MS. e St. Petersburg, The following is the passage in this 
last which is constructed very, badly: LS o Jp 5 ze 99e cusisile 5e L e. 
« They dug a channel and brought water to Derbend in the direction from Mashkour.» (Literally: 
in the direction from Mashkour having brought water, they brought the water channel to Derbend.) 
Remark 5. page 560. 
Io our MS. it is said QU Ji all be H U> 3 which we have corrected and changed to 
« Gen all cl a) Sz* «From: the people of Gkémügh and Tuman.» — L could not find 
any people in Daghistin of a name like Tuman. In the MS. of St. Petersburg and in Klap- 
roth's translation, we meet with the name as that of a people who lived between Zhran and 
Humriyeh, and whose princes bore the same. titles (see Rem. 28. to Part L of this work). The 
proper signification of Tüman in,the Turkish language is 10,000; we know that so much of the 
Le 
