502 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



for the drefs, carriage, and manners of France, and a hearty 

 contempt for thofe of all other nations ; this he had not ad- 

 drefs enough to difguife, and this endangered his life. The 

 whole French nation at Cairo were very ill-difpofed towards 

 him, in confequence of fome perfonal flight, or imprudences, 

 he had been guilty of; as alfo towards any repetition of 

 projects which brought them, their commerce, and even 

 their lives into danger, as the laft had done. 



The merchants, therefore, were averfe to this embafly; 

 but the Jefuits and Maillet were the avowed fupporters of 

 it, and they had with them the authority of the king. But 

 each aimed to be principal, and had very little confidence 

 or communication with his aflbciate. 



As for the capuchins and Francifcans, they were mortal- 

 ly offended with M. de Maillet for having, by the introduc- 

 tion of the Jefuits, and the power of the king of France, 

 forcibly wrefted the Ethiopic million from them which the 

 pope had granted, and which the facred congregation of 

 cardinals had confirmed. Thefe, by their continual com- 

 munication with the Cophts, the Chriftians of Egypt, had 

 fo far brought them to adopt their defigns as, one and all, 

 to regard the mifcarriage of du Roule and his embafly, as 

 what they were bound to procure from honour and mutual 

 intereft. 



Thincs being in thefe circumftanCes, M. du Roule arri- 

 ved at Cairo, and took upon him the charge of this embafly, 

 and from that moment the intrigues began. 



2 The 



