The Portland daily press., 1888-10-15
AmberpYls.


This substance is found floating in the sea,
near the islands of Sumatra, Molucca and
Madagascar; also ON the coasts Of America,
Brazel, China, Japan and the Coronandel.
The western coast of Ireland is often found
to yield large pieces of this substance. The
shores of the counties of Sligo Mayo. Kerry,
and the isles of Arran, are the principal
places where it has been found. In the
philosophical Transactions" there is an ac-
count Of lump found on the beach of the
first mentioned county, in the year 1891,
which weighed 81 o., and was bought on the
spot for e3O, but which was afterwards sold
in London for more than 500. We are quite
within limit in stating that many volumes
OF matter concerning the origin of ambergris
have been written, but the question respect
ing it is still at issue. 1t is found in the
stomachs of most voracious fishes, these
animals swallowing, at particular times,
everything they happen to meet with. 1t
has been particularly found in the intestines
of spermaceti whales, and most commonly in
sickly fish, whence it is supposed to be the
cause or the effect of the disease.
Some authors, and among them, Robert
Boyle, consider 1t to be of vegetable produc-
name ambergriS (gris-gray) gray amber. 1t is
not, however, within the province of this ar
ticle TO enter into any dissertation ON the
various theories about its production, which,
were II OF any Importance, could probably be
satisfactorily explained, if our modern ap-
pliances were brought to bear upon the sub
Ject The field is open to any Scientific en-
thusiast all recent authors mentioning it,
merely quoting the facts known more than
century ago.
A modern compiler, speaking Of ambergris,
says: 1T smells like dried COW dung"
Never having smelled the latter substance,
we cannot say whether Mr.. Redwood's sim
lie be correct, but we certainly consider that
It's perfuming value is most incredibly over
rated; nor can we forget that Homberg
FOUND tnat "a vessel in which he had made a
long digestion of the human faces, had ac-
CURED very strong and perfect smell of am
Dergris, lnsomuch that any one would have
Thought that great quantity of essence of
ambergris had been made in it. The per-
1ume SodorD y was so strong that the vessel
was Obliged to be moved out of the labora-
tory"
Nevertheless as ambergris is extensively
used as perfume, in Difference to those who
admlrel is odor, we presume that to many
1t has an agreeable SMELL
mus lar, Mr. Septimus Piesse, an eminent
per1umer and writer on the subject, | have
little to add, more than that believe have
a specimen OF the supposed lump Of amber
girls, wnlch was brought to me with the Ques-
tion whether it was that substance or not
In company with my friend, Mr. N. G. Earl,
the specimen was examined and its behavior
towards. water and alcohol was found to be
diametrieally opposite to what is stated of
ambergris, being insoluble where the latter
Is soluble and rice uerSa. 1t seems be kind
OF gelatin possibly derived from seaweed.
HAD IL been 10 pounds of gray ambergris
that ought to have brought 1000 dollars at
the least, for Puturel, of New York, quotes
gray ambergris at from $40 to $50 an ounce.
H, L, G.