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Show - The Mystery of Ambergris. Ambergris is an odoriferous, fatty substance often found floating upon the Burface of the ocean or upon shore, where it has been cast by the waves. It is known to bo a morbid secretion of whales, but whether it is" found in their bodies irrespective of species or age or whether in the stomach or intestines intes-tines is not certainly known. The best authorities are of the opinion that it is formed only in the intestinal canal of the sperm whale (Physetor macrocepha-ius). macrocepha-ius). Lumps of this curious substance rang6 in weight from one-half ounce to 100 pounds and upward, the largest lump known to history weighing 182 pounds, and was sold by a petty oriental monarch mon-arch to th3 Dutch East India company over 100 years ago. The season's take of 1 ambergris by American whalers seldom ; averages 100pound3 for the whole fleet ! In 1892 it wa only 87 pounds, and in 1889 but 73. lfiese figures will not seem ! so small when Jt is known that the 7? pounds taken In the year last namea had a market value of $23,200. St Louis Republic. |