From: ksm@abb-sc.abb-sc.com (Ashley)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Origins of ambergris (Re: Whale Puke)
Summary: Pretty graphic stuff here.....
Date: 22 Jan 93 17:09:23 GMT
Organization: Kaos Laboratories


In article <1993Jan21.014605.14048@csus.edu>, altheimm@nextnet.csus.edu (Murray Altheim) writes...

>In article <1404@abb-sc.abb-sc.COM>
>    ksm@abb-sc.abb-sc.com (Ashley) writes:

(....various posts on the origin of ambergris deleted......)


>Back in the early 80's when I first starting using ambergris in my various
>smelly concoctions, I was told the washed-up-on-the-beach story. And I 
>put it aside for awhile. And then it occurred to me.
> 
>Just try to picture the circumstances where someone walking along the 
>beach, enjoying the surf, maybe contemplating the oneness of the earth
>and sky, the beauty of the rhythmic cycles of nature, et cetera ad nauseum,
>when they suddenly step right smack dab into the middle of a large oozing
>mass of whale puke. How romantic. (Does the stuff stick to your foot, or
>just sort of slide off?)
> 
>Hardly makes one think the next thing one would do is call the local perfume
>store. And just how large a blob of whale puke are we talking about? A five
>gallon bathroom garbage bag size? Or the monster 50 gallon green monster
>indestructable Glad Bag? Just wondering, in case I decide to start carrying
>a plastic bag to the beach for just such a wonderful occurrence.
> 
>Not! Food For Thought.
> 

	Ambergris is formed in the digestive tracts of sperm whales. It is 
composed various secretions produced by the whale to prevent his internal 
organs from damage from undigestable substances when passed. Sometimes it 
contains squid beaks (the giant squid is one of the sperm whale's favorite 
foods). Ambergris floats and in earlier times it was used as a fixative for 
perfumes. A good size chink of ambergris could set a poor sailor up for an 
easy retirement in the 1800s. In recent years more appropriate synthetic 
replacements have been found and the price has gone down. After considerable 
reading I am wondering if the substance is vomited or passed through the anus 
as it is believed to be created in the large intestine. I suspect that it is 
actually passed through the system although one sourse does refer to a chunk 
of ambergris tha was filled with squid beaks and would have been too large 
and rough to be passed through the anus successfully. Perhaps it exits both 
ways depending on the size ansd amount of agitation it produces in the 
whale's digestive system.

	Ambergris is a viarigated white-ish, grey or sometimes black substance 
in appearence and smell somewhat like wax. Chunks are on record up to six 
feet accross (I believe this to be an exageration) and it is usually found in 
the Indian ocean or other tropical waters although some pieces have been 
found in New England.

	One would speculate that other toothed whales might produce 
ambergris too, but all my sources of information on marine mammals only 
mention sperm whales. I would imagine that in the smaller toothed whales, 
dolphins and porpises it is only produced in small amounts and is passed in 
the feces. One would have to, uh, dig for it......


			- Ashley,
			still looking at odd things on the beach....