The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-02-21
A WHALER'S PRIZE.
Finding Ambergris is the Happy
Event Of a Lifetime,
Unsavory Stuff Of Great Com
mercial Value.


pected aud as longed for as the sheeny
splendor Of the pearl that gladdens
the pearl fisher, or the sparkle OF the
diamond that sends its radiance
straight 10 the heart Of the coal
miner. There Is that delightful un-
certainty, that same shake-and-throw
doubt that allures the spoculator to
take bis chances; though that Of the
whaleman is much more Legitimate
business, for with the zeal that char
ncterizes these merchants Of the ocean
there is coupled the absolute certainty
of redupicatiou according to their
efforts
Almost awestruck are the sailors
when the cry Of "Ambsrgrisl" is
uttered This is the happy event of
q lifetime. The substance is care
fully taken from the bowels of the
whale and is packet in casks, if it is
in liquid form or in sacks il it is dry
enough.
It is then brought, in its nauseat-
ingly odoriferous condition, direct to
Boston, where it is appraised by the
head of the largest Wholesale drug
firm in the city. This young man has
no enviable task before him in ascer-
tanning the value of the article. He
has to examine the mass, which is
sometimes in a rank liquid state, some
times of the consistency Of putty, and
again a chalklike substance. That
which is more like putty usually is to
be best relied on for making the best
ambergris, and gradually as it dries
the only curing process it undergoes
the unwholesome dark shade gradu-
ally turns to a soft squirrel gray. The
substance lightens in weight, and the
subtle, fascinating odor develops an
odor almost indescribable, like the
blending of new-mown hay, the damp
woodsy fragrance of forn-copse, and
the richest possible perfume of the
violet.
And to what use is ambergris put {?
1t is an indispensable article with fine
perfumes, as it is used to give per-
manency and lasting qualities to very
feeting scents. 1t is a curious fact
that the keynote or basis of those
gays" or "bouquets" as handkerchief
odors are called, is not, as one might
suppose, the altar of garden flowers
nor the penetrating balsams-these
are indispensable, but are not the
groundwork. That basis is always
one of the four animal odors, j. e.,
ambergris, musk, obtained from small
musk deer of Asia, civet, from the
civet cat of India, and castor, Sc
erection of the castor beaver, and now
almost obsolete in the perfume trade.
The pure and separate tlncture of any
one of these odors is too intense and
powerful to be tolerated. Like all
substances of these kinds they must
undergo a slow decomposition till the
remainder possess very little volatil-
ity. Even then they contain a virtue
which clings pertinaciously to woven
fabrics, and not being soluble in weak
alkaline lyes is still to be detected in
the material after passing through the
lavatory ordeal. They are, therefore
of great value to the perfumer, and
are the essential foundation in almost
every formula.
The essence of ambergris is obtained
by mixing three ounces of it with one
gallon of pure alcohol, and not till
after a month is it ready for use.
This, however, is only kept for mix
ing, and is far too strong. Only when
it has entered in minute proportion
into the bouquet does it produce
those agreeable and characteristic per-
fumes, the effect of which upon the
nerves of the sensitive nose is much
like the happy sensation produced By
harmonious musical chords on the
delicate ear or the perfect blending o
colors to the educated eye.
As ambergris Is the most costly o
the animal perfumes, the bouquet
containing it are of the most expen-
sive kinds. 1t is used more in Franc,
than this country, civet being extern
riva1xy rend far n ratoipar in Aroari