History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

14 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [CHAP. I.

took measures to drive out the Mussulmans from Arabian Erak. Large numbers of troops were raised, and generals appointed with orders to march simultaneously to Ambar, Hirah, and Abotta. Mosanna, the Arab commander, aware of his inability to resist the impending storm, retired towards the desert, allowing the Persians to occupy without any resistance all the points of Erak where the Mussulmans had become masters. The Khalif Omar, however, raised new levies, and, appointing Sad Ben Abu Vokas commander-in-chief, sent them against the Persians. As soon as Yazdezard had become aware of the first movements of Sad, he ordered a considerable army to be levied under the command of Rustam, who enjoyed at that time the highest military reputation among the Persians. Whilst Yazdezard, much agitated by the depredations of the Arabs and the cries of distress of his people, was endeavouring to spur on Rustam, his generalissimo, to take more energetic measures, a deputation of fourteen Mussulmans arrived at Madayn, otherwise called Ctesiphon, which was at that time his capital and residence. After these Arabs had been brought into his presence, Yazdezard first asked them some unimportant questions through an interpreter. He desired to know how they called their cloaks, whips, and sandals. They replied, Burd, Saut, and Nal. The analogy between the sound of these

Arabic words and the Persian ones designating the