192 



f that produces it, is a summer sweeting, of a middling 

 size, and full of juice. They grind and press the 

 apple, and then gently boil the juice for about six 

 hours. In that time it comes to the sweetness and 

 consistency, and answers all the purposes of other 

 molasses* 



5. There is one sea production, if it may be so 

 termed, that is not commonly understood. Some have 

 maintained, that Ambergris was a substance naturally 

 bred in one species of whales, in a bag three or four 

 feet long. But this bag is in truth only the bladder 

 of the whales, and the supposed Ambergris is only a 

 calculus of the bladder. The largest of these ever 

 found in a whale weighed twenty-one pounds. But 

 pieces of ambergris have been found, which were six 

 feet long, and weighed above 180 pounds. 



It seems, 1. That ambergris like yellow amber, 

 comes out of the earth into the sea, 2. That it comes 

 not like Napththa, but in a thicker, viscid and tenaci- 

 ous consistence. 3. That in the first formation there* 

 of. a liquid bitumen or napththa is mixed with it. 

 4. That large pieces may, be generated at the same 

 time ; but usually a small one rises first, to which 

 another soon adheres, and so more and more, forming 

 irregular figures, under which it is soft, so that va- 

 rious substances stick to it, but it gradually hardens 

 to the consistence of wax. 



However one would not be positive, as to the 

 manner of its generation. For who can explain in 

 what manner amber is produced ? Or how metals, 

 semi-metals, precious stoues, and innumerable other 

 mineral substances are generated ? We kngw what 

 they are, but how they are formed we know not with 

 any degree of certainty. 



0. The principle of corruption in plants and ani- 

 mals, is probably the very same, which, during a state 

 of circulation, is the principle ol life ; namely the air, 

 which is found iu considerable quantities mixed with 



