140 THE WHALEMAN'S ADVENTURES. 



hogsheads of this valuable fluid of which they 

 on land, who are turning night into day by 

 means of its clear light, little know the hazard 

 and labour of American whalemen in procuring. 

 At the completion of the voyage this oil will be 

 drawn from the casks, and after a process of 

 boiling and cooling, will be put into vats with a 

 strainer which detains the spermaceti mixed 

 with oil. 



This valuable residue is then a yellow viscous 

 substance, which is afterward put into strong 

 canvas bags, and subjected to a screw press, 

 and next to the pressure of the hydraulic engine, 

 whereby the oily matter is all expelled, leaving 

 the spermaceti in -hard, concrete masses. This, 

 after boiling with potash, and purifying, is mould- 

 ed into those beautiful oilless candles which are 

 sold under the name of spermaceti. 



The first manufactory of sperm candles in 

 America was started in Ehode Island, in 1750, 

 by one Benjamin Crab, an Englishman. By 

 the year 1761 there were eight in New England, 

 and one in Philadelphia. Owing to the in- 

 creased influx of sperm, by reason of the ener- 



