XI. Ambergris found in Whales. Communi- 
cated by T)r . Boylfton of Bofton in New- 
England. 
1 '*\>u 
T HE moft learned Part of Mankind are ftill at a 
Lofs about many Things, even in medical Ufe ; 
and, particularly, were fo in what is called Amber - 
gris , until our Whale Fiflaermen of Nantucket , in 
New-England \ fome three or four Years paid, made the 
Difcovery. Their Account to me is this. 
Cutting up a Spermaceti Bull Whale , they found 
accidentally in him, about twenty Pound Weight, more 
or lefs, of that Drug. After which, they, and other 
fuch Fiflaermen, became very curious in fearching all 
fuch Whales they kill’d*, and it has been (ince found 
in lefler Quantities, in feveral Male Whales of that 
Kind, and in no other, and that fcarcely in one of an 
Hundred of them. They add further, that it is con- 
tained in a Cyld, or Bag, without any inlet or outlet to 
it, and that they have fometimes found the Bag empty, 
and yet entire. 
The Bag is no where to be found, but near the Ge- 
nital Parts of the Fifh. The Ambergris is, when 
hrfl: taken out, moift, and of an exceeding ftrong and 
offenflve Smell. 
Whether or not ( from the Account above ) the Am- 
bergris be naturally , or accidentally produced in 
that Fijh , I leave to the Learned to determine . 
E e 2 
Obfer~ 
