Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-08-20
ONE WHALE WORTH A FORTUNE.
1t Carried Chunk of Ambergris
That Sold For About 100000.


That Sold For About 100000.
More than 100000 is what Captain
James Earle, a New Bedford whaler
now visiting in Honolulu, realized in
1888 from one sperm whale. In fact, the
whale was one of the most valuable
ever caught in any ocean. 1t was not
the ninety barrels of oil which gave the
leviathan it's extraordinary value. for
that was sold for something like $4,000,
but within the whales vast interior
there was found a solid piece Of am
bergris weighing 7SO pounds. This was
the largest single piece of ambergris
ever found according to the records,
and that it came from one lone whale
made the rich discovery the more inter
esting to the scientific world.
This 7SO-pound piece Of ambergris
was sold in chunks in all markets OF
the world for about G25,000 sterling.
and it laid the foundation of wealth
for almost every man interested in the
whaling expedition, which originated
in New Zealand.
Capt. Ealre came here in 1867 on the
whaling ship Europe as a cabin boy,
his father then being the first mate.
He later went to New Zealand to join
the whaler Splendid, which he fitted
out, obtaining thereby bounty Of $1O.-
900 offered by the New Zealand gov
ernment for the first whaler fitted out
for service. He went as second mate
and rose by promotion until he be-
came master and part owner. 1t was
in October, 1882, that the Splendid, while
cruising about the Chatham island east
of New Zealand came upon the sperm
whale which was the biggest bonanza
Of the sea on record. Ninety barrels
of oil were taken from it and while
delving into the carcass the huge piece
Of ambergris was found.
Ambergris Is a concretion formed
only in the intestines Of the sperm
whale and is sometimes found floating
on the surface of the sea like pumice
stone, near where this animal cruises
In it are often found imbedded the
horny beaks Of the squids on which the
whale feeds. 1t was formerly used in
medicine, but is now dissolved in al
cohol and used as a base in perfumes,
rendering them more lasting. 1t affords
about IS per cent. of a peculiar fatty
and crystalline substance called am
brein.
The voyage Of the Splendid in that
season was a fortunate one in every
respect for she came into Littleton
port, New Zealand, with the big piece
Of ambergris worth its weight in gold
and 1000 barrels Of sperm oil.
When we arrived in port" caid Cap
tain Earle yesterday. II telegraphed to
the agent of the Otago Whaling COM
pany to come up. He came, the amber
girls was taken ashore, loaded into a
car, which was hcked and the key
he stood guard there, too, until the
stuff was safely placed. The first year
that had brought any ambergris into
port we got G25 pound for 21 pounds
but when this big piece came in the
news so astonished everybody that ca
blegrams were sent all over the world
and the result was that the price drop
ped. Some went to London, but as for
my own share I took it in bulk and
carried it home with me. I wasn't in
a hurry to sell it, but thought by wait
ing the market for it would rise. I got
s1S an ounce for the gray and So for
the black, while in London it had only
brought s12 and 81. The last Of my
share was sold in 1891. 1 remained
with this company until 1886, when I
went home. have taken more than a
thousand sperm whales since then and
have never found in any Of them a
piece of ambergris.-Pacific CONNER
cial Advertiser.