The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-09
WHALE WORTH FORTUNE.
Carried 3 Chunk of Ambergris Tha
Brought Nearly 100000.

More than 100000 is what Captain
James Earle, a New Bedford whaler,
now visiting in Honolulu, realized in
1883 from one sperm whale. In fact,
the whale was one Of the most valuable
ever caught in any ocean. It was not
the 80 barrels of oil which gave the lev
latham 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 $50 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 expedi-
ton, which originated in New Zealand.
Captain Earle came here in 1867 or
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 ftteA
out, obtaining thereby a bounty of $10,s
600 offered by the New Zealand governs
ment for the first Whaler fitted out for
service He went as second mate and
master and part owner. 1t was in DC
tober 1882, that the Splendid, while
cruising about the Chatham islands
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. ana
while delving into the carcass huge
piece Of ambergris was found.
Ambergris is a concretiOn found only
IN the lntestines of the sperm whale
and is sometimes found floating on the
surface OF the sea like Oumice stone.
near where this animal cruises In i
l.
beaks of the squids on which the whale.
reeds It was formerly used in rnedi-
cine, but IS now dissolved in alcOhoa
ana used as base in perfumes. render
ING lnem more lasting. 1t affords about
50 per cent Of a peculiar fatty and
crystalline substance called ambrein.
Inc voyage of the Splendid in that
season was & fortunate one in every re
spect, for she came into Littleton port
New ZEALAND, with the big piece OF
aInbergris worth its weight in gold and
100 barrels of sperm oil
w hen W. arrived in port" said Can
tam Earle the other day, L telegraph
ed 70 the agent of the Ottago Whaling
company to come up. He came. the
ambergris was taken ashore. loaded in
to a car, which was locked and the KEY
slowed away in the agents pocket. and
ne stood guard there. The first year
that L had brought any ambergris into
port we got S125 q pound for twenty
one pounds, but when this big piece
came in the news so aStonished every
body that cablegrams wege sent all
over the world. and the result was that
the price dropped. Some went to Lon
don. but as for my share I took it in
bulk and carried ii home with me I
wasn't in a hurry to sell it, but thought
by waiting the market for it would rise
I got S18 an ounce for the gray and S.
for the black while in London it had
only brought S12 and 81. The last of my
share was sold in 1891. I remained with
this company until 1886, when I went
home I have taken more than thou
sand sperm whales since then and have
never found in any of them a piece of
ambergris. Pacific Commercial Ad-
vertiser.