Foratthattime,andindeeduntilacomparativelylateday,thepreciseoriginofambergrisremained,likeamberitself,aproblemtothelearned.
Foramber,thoughattimesfoundonthesea-coast,isalsodugupinsomefarinlandsoils,whereasambergrisisneverfoundexceptuponthesea.
Besides,amberisahard,transparent,brittle,odorlesssubstance,usedformouth-piecestopipes,forbeadsandornaments;butambergrisissoft,waxy,andsohighlyfragrantandspicy,thatitislargelyusedinperfumery,inpastiles,preciouscandles,hair-powders,andpomatum.
TheTurksuseitincooking,andalsocarryittoMecca,forthesamepurposethatfrankincenseiscarriedtoSt.Peter’sinRome.
Whowouldthink,then,thatsuchfineladiesandgentlemenshouldregalethemselveswithanessencefoundintheingloriousbowelsofasickwhale!Yetsoitis.
Howtocuresuchadyspepsiaitwerehardtosay,unlessbyadministeringthreeorfourboatloadsofBrandreth’spills,andthenrunningoutofharm’sway,aslaborersdoinblastingrocks.
Ihaveforgottentosaythattherewerefoundinthisambergris,certainhard,round,bonyplates,whichatfirstStubbthoughtmightbesailors’trowsersbuttons;butitafterwardsturnedoutthattheywerenothing,morethanpiecesofsmallsquidbonesembalmedinthatmanner.
BethinktheeofthatsayingofSt.PaulinCorinthians,aboutcorruptionandincorruption;howthatwearesownindishonor,butraisedinglory.
Alsoforgetnotthestrangefactthatofallthingsofill-savor,Cologne-water,initsrudimentalmanufacturingstages,istheworst.
Ishouldliketoconcludethechapterwiththeaboveappeal,butcannot,owingtomyanxietytorepelachargeoftenmadeagainstwhalemen,andwhich,intheestimationofsomealreadybiasedminds,mightbeconsideredasindirectlysubstantiatedbywhathasbeensaidoftheFrenchman’stwowhales.
Elsewhereinthisvolumetheslanderousaspersionhasbeendisproved,thatthevocationofwhalingisthroughoutaslatternly,untidybusiness.Butthereisanotherthingtorebut.
Iopine,thatitisplainlytraceabletothefirstarrivaloftheGreenlandwhalingshipsinLondon,morethantwocenturiesago.
Becausethosewhalemendidnotthen,anddonotnow,tryouttheiroilatseaastheSouthernshipshavealwaysdone;butcuttingupthefreshblubberinsmallbits,thrustitthroughthebungholesoflargecasks,andcarryithomeinthatmanner;theshortnessoftheseasoninthoseIcySeas,andthesuddenandviolentstormstowhichtheyareexposed,forbiddinganyothercourse.
Theconsequenceis,thatuponbreakingintothehold,andunloadingoneofthesewhalecemeteries,intheGreenlanddock,asavorisgivenforthsomewhatsimilartothatarisingfromexcavatinganoldcitygraveyard,forthefoundationsofaLying-inHospital.
Ipartlysurmisealso,thatthiswickedchargeagainstwhalersmaybelikewiseimputedtotheexistenceonthecoastofGreenland,informertimes,ofaDutchvillagecalledSchmerenburghorSmeerenberg,whichlatternameistheoneusedbythelearnedFogoVonSlack,inhisgreatworkonSmells,atext-bookonthatsubject.
Asitsnameimports(smeer,fat;berg,toputup),thisvillagewasfoundedinordertoaffordaplacefortheblubberoftheDutchwhalefleettobetriedout,withoutbeingtakenhometoHollandforthatpurpose.
Itwasacollectionoffurnaces,fat-kettles,andoilsheds;andwhentheworkswereinfulloperationcertainlygaveforthnoverypleasantsavor.
ButallthisisquitedifferentwithaSouthSeaSpermWhaler;whichinavoyageoffouryearsperhaps,aftercompletelyfillingherholdwithoil,doesnot,perhaps,consumefiftydaysinthebusinessofbodingout;andinthestatethatitiscasked,theoilisnearlyscentless.
Thetruthis,thatlivingordead,ifbutdecentlytreated,whalesasaspeciesarebynomeanscreaturesofillodor;norcanwhalemenberecognised,asthepeopleofthemiddleagesaffectedtodetectaJewinthecompany,bythenose.
Norindeedcanthewhalepossiblybeotherwisethanfragrant,when,asageneralthing,heenjoyssuchhighhealth;takingabundanceofexercise;alwaysoutofdoors;though,itistrue,seldomintheopenair.
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