THE CACHALOT. 
6 1 
*he tail, where it is no thicker than one’s finger, affords 
n ° inconfiderable quantity. 
Formerly the fpermaceti was obtained but in ftriall 
quantities, and was fold at a Very high price, from the 
Fippofition of its great efficacy as a medicine. Though 
u Fill enters into the compofitions of the apothecary, yet 
u is rather to give a confiftency to his medicines than to 
a fd to their virtue: andfincethe art of converting the whole 
rl of the cachalot into fpermaceti by boiling has been 
fcovered, the article has decreafed rapidly in its value. 
1 Fas now fallen below the price of wax, and is ufed in- 
e ad of it for candles. 
Ambergris is the other medicine, for which man- 
^nd are indebted to the cachalot ; and this fubltance, 
gather than the former, ffiould have obtained the name 
j P erm aceti, becaufe it is found in the plape where the 
■pUiinal veffels of other animals are commonly fituated. 
0r a long time the world was taught to believe, that > 
uiubergris was a fubftance to be found only in fatal! 
Quantities upon the futface of the water. The trade in 
f c 6 6 artlc * es was originally ih the hands of men of ob- 
re and fufpicious chara&ers ; and this was one of the 
riou ^ wh!ch the y endeavoured to add to the myfte- 
^ S nature > and va lue of the commodity. Time, which 
v eled S thC feCrCtS ° f the mercenai T, has at laft difco- 
iiffies * hat thlS medicine is the P roduce of the cetaceous 
three 11011 ” ^ i nte Fines of the cachalot is found a bag 
Colour ^° lr f Cet lon S> Filed with liquor of a yellowifh 
gris is* t ^ nner tFau °il ; and in this fluid, the amber- 
*een floating in round lumps, from one to twen- 
I 2 t y 
' G0ldfQlich ’ s Nat. Hift. ubi fupra. 
