THE CACHALOf. 67 



the tail, wiiere it is no thicker than one's finger, affords 

 no inconfiderable quantity. 



Formerly the fpermaceti was obtained but in frnall 

 quantities, and was fold at a very high price, from the 

 fuppoficion of its great efBcacy as a medicine. Though 

 it ftill enters into the compofitions of the apothecary, yet 

 it is rather to give a confiftency to his medicines than to 

 add to their virtue: andfincethe art of convertingthe whole 

 oil of the cachalot into fpermaceti by boiling has been 

 difcovered, the article has decreafed rapidly in its value. 

 It has now fallen below the price of wax, and is ufed in- 

 Head of it for candles. 



Ambergris is the other medicine, for which man- 

 kind are indebted to the cachalot ; >and this fubilance, 

 rather than the former, fhould have obtained the name 

 of fpermaceti, becaufe it is found in the place where th>i 

 feminal veffels of other animals are commonly fituated. 

 For a long time the world was taught to believe, that 

 ambergris was a fubflance to be found only in fmali 

 quantities upon the furface of the water. The trade in 

 thefe articles was originally in the hands of men of ob- 

 fcure and fufpicious charafters ; and this was one of the 

 arts by which they endeavoured to add to the mylle- 

 -jrious nature, and value of the commodity. Time, which 

 teveals the fecrets of the mercenary, h&s at laft difco- 

 vered that this medicine is the produce of the cetaceous 

 iillies *. 



Among the inteftines of the cachalot is found a bag 

 three or four feet long, filled with liquor of a yellowiih 

 colour, and thinner than oil ; and in this fluid, the amber- 

 gris is feen floating in round lumps, from one to twen- 



I 2 ly 



♦ Goldfmith's Nat. Hlft. ubi fupra. 



