628 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Jofeph le Roux, comte de Defneval. . This gentleman had 
been in the Danifh navy ever fince the year 1721, and in 
#739 was raifed to-the rank of rear-admiral in that fervice. 
He fays, in a publication. of his own now lying before me, 
that the ambaflador of Louis XIV. (M. du Roule) and all 
thofe fent by the Dutch and Englifh to vifit that country, 
had perifhed, becaufe they were ignorant of the proper key 
to be employed to enter that country, which he flattered: 
himfelf he had found in Denmark,. 
tf ; 
In 1739 he Penpiee his Danifh commiffion, and began: 
his firft attempt in Egypt, whilft, for the greater facility of 
travelling in thefe mild and hofpitable countries, he took his 
wife along with him. The count and the countefs went: 
as far as Cairo, where they wifely began at a feftival'to dif 
pute upon the etiquette with a Turkifh mob, and this bring- 
ing the janizaries and guards of pohce upon them to take 
them into cuftody, the grey mare, as they fay, proved the 
better borfe; Madame la comtefle de Defneval exerted her- 
felf fo much, that fhe defeated the body of janizaries; 
wounding feveral of them, armed only with a very femi+ 
nine weapon, a pair of fciflars, which, with full as much 
profit, and much more decency, fhe might have been dhegsit:) 2 
furrounded with her family at home. 
However well acquainted the count was with the key 
for entering into Aby/ffinia, he had not apparently got the 
door. In faét, his firft {cheme was a moft ridiculous one» 
he refolved to afcend the Nile in a barge armed with: 
fmall cannon, and all neceflary provifions for himfelf and 
wife. Some people wifer than himfelf, whom he met at 
Cairo, fuggefted to him, that, fuppofing government might 
protect 
