The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-03-15
A Romance OF O'DonOvan In Central
Asia.

When tie Russians under General
Skobelelf started on their expedition
against the Turkomans at Geek Tepe,
ODonovan, OF the London Daily NeWs,
applied for permission to accompany
them, but was refused. Upon receiving
General Skobelef's final answer, the de-
termined correspondent telegraphed his
thanks for the courteous wording OF the
refusal, and finished his message with
the significant words, Au revoir,
General, Merv." "Till we meet
again, General, at Merv."
ODonovan then started upon his Jour
ney. He reached the northwestern
boundary of Persia, and succeeded IN
safely crossing the frontier, riding 12O
miles in twenty-four hours. Luck, In
addition to his native shrewdness, IA
vored him, and he reached Merv In
safety, though prisoner, and suspected
of being a Russian. As best he could
he informed his captors of his English
nationality, and his wit and manners 80
pleased the Turkomans that he was kept
in sort Of honorable confinement until
his statement could be confirmed. Sat
isiactory information concerning him
was Mt last received from Teherap, and
he was released.
ODonovans wonderful stores OF in
formation, and his statements concern
ing the almost boundless extent OF the
English Empire, caused the Turkomans
10 look upon him as a man of much i'm
portance, and he was called upon to set
tie long standing dispute as to the chiei
executive power. There are two proper
holders of that power-the Sheik OF the
Eastern Turkomans and the Sheik OF the
Western Turkomans. 1t appears that
was necessary for the highest dignitar.
or dignitaries Of the Turkomans to un
deltake a perilous mission to Teheran
II wns considered robable that whoeve
went would lose his head, and to avoi'
this risk the two CHI ftains conferred tn
honor upon the eldest of their class
Much to their surprise, he returne
alive, and was allowed to retain his dig
nifty until The arrival Of ODonovan
whose abunda~' ot wealth, it is sup
posed, induced tho Eastern and Western
chiefs to determine to reassert thel
claims, lest he whom they had elevate'
to the highest position should monopo
lize the gifts of tie illustrious foreigner
A great counci. %as held, the old chic
deposed, the two restored to their orig
nal positions, and ODonoyan electe
Ichtiar Bahadoor Khan of the Tekk
Turkomans, and joined the other tw
chiefs in forming n triumvirate, ruin
over the district Of Merv, with popul'
ton of 800, 900 souls.
O'Donovan was installed in his hol
orable position with imposing cerom
MES, and given "palace," for that r
gion, to live in. His official duties viii
abiding in Merv consisted mainly in dl
pensing justice, chiefly in cases OF mu
der and robbery, they being the ON
crimes recognized.
After six months O'Donovan weari
of his life at Merv, and wishing to
turn to civilization, expressed a {
; sire to be sent rs ambassador plcniT
! Tertiary of the Tekkc Turkomans
!, the European courts. A great coun
! was held to consider the subject. O'Do
: ovan having arrived at Merv Just at t
moment the onward march of the II,
. slams had been arrested, and the Tura
:. mans associating that event with his 9
!, pearance, looked upon him as their {
liverer and his presence as sure pl
lection against their hereditary enemi'
For this reason they wero unwilling
part with him, but at last consented
the nromise that he would one day
W =, turn to them. He replied, 81 will
~ ~ turn when l am sent back to you"
10 requires more than surgical operat
~ -, to enable the Turkomans to see throu
! n Joke, and the humor Of O'Donova
-, answer not being appreciated, he ,
" ~ permitted to depart, and was accomp
-, led to the Persian frontier by a body
n. Turkoman troops. - Cincinnati Comm
~ cial