- end_line
- 15929
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-23T15:41:04.768Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 15911
- text
- when suddenly from out the very heart of this plague, there stole a
faint stream of perfume, which flowed through the tide of bad smells
without being absorbed by it, as one river will flow into and then
along with another, without at all blending with it for a time.
“I have it, I have it,” cried Stubb, with delight, striking something
in the subterranean regions, “a purse! a purse!”
Dropping his spade, he thrust both hands in, and drew out handfuls of
something that looked like ripe Windsor soap, or rich mottled old
cheese; very unctuous and savory withal. You might easily dent it with
your thumb; it is of a hue between yellow and ash colour. And this,
good friends, is ambergris, worth a gold guinea an ounce to any
druggist. Some six handfuls were obtained; but more was unavoidably
lost in the sea, and still more, perhaps, might have been secured were
it not for impatient Ahab’s loud command to Stubb to desist, and come
on board, else the ship would bid them good bye.
- title
- Chunk 4