_Whales._—About the coast of Africa, from Agadeer to Arguin, whales are frequently cast on shore,[112] deluded, perhaps, like the unfortunate mariners, who being led away imperceptibly by the impetuosity of a deceitful current, are ashore before they are aware of being even near the land. Whenever the whale is cast ashore, ambergris is found on the shore, and is brought to Agadeer for sale. The Moors being very partial to this perfume, consume all that comes to market; so that none is sent to Europe. It is called in Arabic El Amber, and is supposed to possess highly stimulating qualities, for which purpose it is often infused in tea by the African Arabs, Moors, and others. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 70: This budra is preserved in earthen pots under ground, many, sometimes 20 or 30 years, as it is said, to improve by age; it is of so subtile and penetrating a nature, that it quickly passes to the capillary vessels of the body, and being rubbed on the inside of the hand, is quickly absorbed through the pores into the blood.] [Footnote 71: Ida dez el Herka fee el bled wa kan trek harushe el Zirg ce herse el hager eladi fee’h.] [Footnote 72: A small bird unknown in Europe, similar to a sparrow.] [Footnote 73: Buffon informs us, that Bruce told him this animal was common in Barbary, where it was called Taleb; but Pennant observes, that Bruce should have given it a more characteristic appellation, for taleb, or thaleb, is no more than the Arabic name for the common fox, which is also frequent in that country. See Eng. Encyclopedia, 1802.] [Footnote 74: The dubbah and the deeb are so totally different, that I cannot account for the error of Bruce in saying they are the same animal; for, besides various other differences, the dubbah is more than twice as large as the deeb. It is surprising that Mr. Bruce, who appears to have been a great sportsman, did not perceive this. Vide Select Passages of Natural History collected in Travels to discover the Source of the Nile. Title Hyæna, Vol V. p. 110.] [Footnote 75: M’dubbah, stupified or hyænaized, from the word dubbah.] [Footnote 76: Bruce, in speaking of this animal, observes that most of the animals confounded with him, are about six times smaller than he is. The want of a critical knowledge of the Arabic language, and of natural history at the same time, has, in some measure, been the occasion of these errors among the moderns. Bochart discusses the several errors of the ancients with great judgment, and the Count de Buffon, in a very elegant and pleasant manner, hath nearly exhausted the whole. See Select Specimens of Nat. Hist. collected in Travels to discover the Source of the Nile, Vol. V. Appendix, p. 108. Title Hyæna.] [Footnote 77: A description of this herb will be given in its proper place.]