His intimate knowledge of Arabic stood to him in these and in the
Egyptian campaigns in which he afterwards took part. In 1879 he went
through Russia to the shores of the Caspian Sea, travelled through the
north of Persia and the adjacent territory of Khorassan, to the land of
the Tekke Turcomans, and to Merv, thus penetrating the mysteries of
Central Asia as no European traveller had ever done so perfectly before.
In 1881 he returned to England, and published his book, "The Merv
Oasis," and afterwards read a paper before the Royal Geographical
Society on "Merv and its surroundings."

Finally, in 1883, he went as special correspondent to the Soudan, and
there this brilliant Irishman perished with the whole of Hicks Pasha's
army. No tidings ever came of how Edmond O'Donovan met his death, but
those who knew him best feel that he must have yielded up his gallant
spirit to its Creator with a courage and fortitude worthy of an
Irishman.

In January, 1906, I had occasion to call upon his brother Richard in
Liverpool, and asked if they had ever got any trace of Edmond. Nothing
had been heard of how he had actually perished, but an authentic relic
of him had fallen into the hands of a priest in the Soudan. This was a
blood-stained garment, which was proved beyond doubt to have belonged to
him.

I have mentioned another name in connection with the Franco-Prussian
War--that of James O'Kelly. His career, like that of O'Donovan, had been
stormy and adventurous. I had previously met him in connection with the
Fenian movement.

He had been in the French army, and served in the campaign which was so