84 
MARINE MAMMALS OF TEE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
ivory is not sometimes employed to remove the kraken from its slimy bed? Be 
that as it may, however, it is our belief that all Cetaceans occasionally resort to 
the bottom of the ocean, sea, or inland waters, as well as rise to the surface to 
breathe and display their various attitudes. "We also regard the Cachalot as able 
to descend to a greater depth and remain there a longer time than any other 
whale ; and that it evinces, in its characteristic movements or evolutions, a supe- 
riority over all other cetaceous animals that have come under our observation. 
arid nature of ambergris." (Phil. Trans., vol. 
xxxiii.) 
In a paper -which was read before the Koyal 
Society by Doctor Schwediawer, in 1783, re- 
specting the medicinal properties of ambergris, 
he remarks, that "if we wish to see any medi- 
cal effects from this substance, we must cer- 
tainly not expect them from two or three 
grains, but give rather as many scruples of it 
for a dose ; though even then I should not 
expect much from it, as I have taken of pure 
unadulterated ambergris in powder thirty grains 
at once, without observing the least sensible 
effect from it. A sailor, however, who had the 
curiosity to try the effects of some recent 
ambergris upon himself, took half an ounce of 
it melted upon the fire, and found it a good 
purgative, which proves that it is not quite 
inert." (Phil. Trans., vol. lxxii, p. 226.) 
In 1791, the attention of the government was 
drawn to this subject, in order to discover if it 
could be more frequently found. When Captain 
Coffin was examined at the bar of the House of 
Commons on the subject, he stated that he 
had lately brought home three hundred and 
sixty-two ounces, troy, of this costly substance, 
which he had found in the anus of a female 
Sperm Whale that he had captured off the 
coast of Guinea, and which he stated was very 
bony and sickly. At the time he brought this 
cpuantity to England, the ambergris was selling 
for twenty-five shillings an ounce, but he stated 
he sold his for nineteen shillings and sixpence 
per ounce, to a broker, who exjsorted it to Tur- 
key, Germany, and France, among the natives 
of which it appears to have been long celebrated 
for its armrodisiacal properties. "The use of 
ambergris," says Brande, "in Europe is now 
nearly confined to perfumery, though it has 
formerly been used in medicine by many emi- 
nent physicians. In Asia and part of Africa, 
ambergris is not only used as a medicine and 
perfume, but considerable use is also made of 
it in cooking, by adding it to several dishes as 
a spice. A great quantity of it is also constant- 
ly bought by the pilgrims who travel to Mecca, 
probably to offer it there, and make use of it 
in fumigations, in the same manner as frankin- 
cense is used in Catholic countries. The Turks 
make use of it as an aphrodisiac. Our perfum- 
ers add it to scented pastiles, candles, balls, 
bottles, gloves, and hair powder ; and its essence 
is mixed with pomatum for the face and hands, 
either alone or united with musk, though its 
smell is to some persons extremely offensive. 
Ambergris may be known to be genuine by its 
fragrant scent when a hot needle or pin is 
thrust into it, and its melting like fat of a uni- 
form consistence, whereas the counterfeit will 
not yield such a smell, nor prove of such a fat 
texture. One thing, however, is very remark- 
able, that a resemblance to the smell of this 
drug, which is the most agreeable of all the 
perfumes, should be produced by a preparation 
of one of the most odious of all substances. 
Mr. Homberg found that a vessel in which he 
had made a long digestion of human faeces, ac- 
quired a very strong and perfect smell of am- 
bergris, insomuch that any one would have 
thought that a great quantity of essence of 
ambergris had been made in it; the perfume 
was so strong and offensive that the vessel had 
to be removed from the laboratory! ( Branch's 
Manual of Chemistry, p. 594.) Ambergris appears 
to be nothing but the hardened freces of the 
Spermaceti Whale, which is pretty well proved 
from its being mixed so intimately with the 
refuse of its food (the squids' beaks). Mr. 
Enderby has a fine specimen of this substance, 
six or seven inches long, which bears very evi- 
dent marks of having been molded by the lower 
portion of the rectum of the whale. 
