The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-03
ONE WHALE WORTH FORTUNE.


Pacific Commercial Advertiser.
More than 100000 is what Captain James
Earle, 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 its extraordinary value, for
that was sold for something like $4,000, but
within the whales vast interior there was
found solid piece of ambergris weighing
$50 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
interesting to the scientific world.
This 7SO-pound piece of ambergris was
sold in chunks in all markets of the world
for about 100000, and it laid the foundation
for wealth for almost every man interested
in the whaling expedition, which originated
in New Zealand.
Captain Earle came here in 1867 on the
whaling ship Europe as a cabin boy. his
father then being first mate. He later went
to New Zealand to join the whaler Splendid,
which he fitted out. obtaining thereby a
bounty of $4,000 offered by the New Zealand
government for the first Whaler fitted out
for service. he went as second mate and
rose by promotion until he became master
and part owner. 1t was In October, 1882,
that the Splendid, while cruising about the
Chatham islands east of New Zealand, came
upon the sperm whale which was the big
gest bonanza of the sea on record. Ninety
barrels of oil were taken from 1t, and while
delving into the carcass huge piece OF
ambergris was found.
Ambergris Is a concretion found 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 1t are often found i'm
bedded the horny beaks of the squids on
which the whale feeds. 1t was formerly
used in medicine, but is now dissolved in
alcohol and used as a base in perfumes
rendering them more lasting. 1t affords
crystalline substance called ambrein.
The voyage of the Splendid in that season
was a fortunate one In every respect, fol-
she came into Littleton port, New Zealand
with the big piece of ambergris worth its
weight In gold and LOO barrels of sperm
OIL
when we arrived in port" said Captain
agent of the Ottago Whaling Company tc
come up. He came, the ambergris was
taken ashore loaded into car. which was
locked and the key slowed away in the
agents pocket, and he stood guard there
The first year that had brought any am
bergris into port we got s125 a pound fol
twenty-one pounds. but when this big piece
came in the news SO astonished everybody
that cablegrams were sent all over tine
| world and the result was that the pric,
dropped Some went to London. but as fol
my share / took 1t in bulk and carried Il
home with me. / wasn't in hurry to sci
| it, but thought by waiting the market fo
| it would rise / got SIS an ounce for thu
gray and IS for the black, while in Londor
| it had only brought s12 and 81. The last o
| my share was sold in 1891. / remained will
| this company until 1886, when / went home
have taken more than thousand sperm
whales since then and have never found IN
any Of them piece of ambergris.'