A Letter of the Honorable Robert Boyle Concerning the Vegetable Nature of Amber Greece, according to an Extract Taken Out of a Dutch East Indian Journal

A Letter of the Honorable Robert Boyle of Sept.13.1673. to the Publisher, concerning Amber Greece, and its being a Vegetable Production. SIR, Some occasions calling me this afternoon up to London, I met there with a very Intelligent Gentleman, who was ready to go out of it; but before he did so, he willingly spar'd me some time to discourse with him about some of the Affairs of our East-Indian Company, of which he was very lately Deputy Governour; and, his year being expired, is still one of the chief of the Court of Committees, which a foreigner would call Directors that manage all the affairs of that considerable Society. And among other things talking with him about some Contents of a Journal lately taken in a Dutch East-Indian prize, I learnt from him, that he, who understands that language very well, is now perusing that Manuscript, and, among many things recorded there that concern the Oeconomical and Political affairs of the said Dutch company, he met with one Physical Observation which he thought so rare, that remembering the curiosity I had express'd for such things, he put it into English, and transcrib'd it for me, and immediately drawing it out of his pocket he presented me the short paper, whereof I now shew you the Copy: Upon perusal of which, you will very easily believe, that not only his Civility oblig'd me, but the Information it brought me surpriz'd me too. For, the several tryals and observations of my own about Amber Greece have long kept me from acquiescing either in the vulgar opinions, or those of some Learned men concerning it; yet I confess, my Experiments did much less discover what it is, than this paper has done, in case we may safely and entirely give credit to its Information, and that it reach to all kinds of Amber-greece. And probably you will be invited to look on this account, though not as compleat, yet as very sincere, and on that score Credible, if you consider, that this was not written by a Philosopher to broach a Paradox, or serve an Hypothesis, but by a Merchant or Factor for his Superiors, to give them an account of a matter of fact; and that this passage is extant in an authentick Journal, wherein the affairs of the Company were by by publick order from time to time register'd at their chief Colony Batavia. And it appears by the paper itself that the Relation was not look'd upon as a doubtful thing, but as a thing from which a practical way may be deduc'd to make this Discovery easily Lucriferous to the Dutch Company. And I could heartily wish, that in those Countreys that are addicted to long Navigations, more notice than is usual were taken and given of the Natural Rarities that occur to Merchants and Sea-men. On which occasion I remember, when I had, in compliance with my Curiosity, put myself into our East-Indian Company, and had, by their Civility to me, been chosen of their Committee as long as my Health allowed me to continue so, I had the opportunity in some Register books of Merchants, English and Dutch, to observe some things, which would easily justify this wish of mine, if my haste and their Interest would permit me to acquaint others with them. But to return to our Account of Amber-greece I think you will easily believe, that, if I had received it not by a Paper but immediately from the Writer, I should, by proposing divers Questions, have been enabled to give you a much more satisfactory account than this short one contains. But the obliging person that gave it me, being just going out of Town, I could not civilly stay him to receive my Quere's about it; which though (God permitting) I may propose ere long, if I can light on him again, yet I fear he has given me, in these few lines, all that he found about this matter. However this Relation as short as it is, being about the Nature of a drug so precious and so little known, will not, I hope, be unwelcom to the Curious; to whom none is so like to convey it so soon and so well as Mr. O; whose forwardness to oblige others by his various Communications challenges Returns of the like nature from others, and particularly from his Affectionate Humble servant. Follows Follows the Extract itself out of a Dutch Journal, belonging to the Dutch East-Indian Company. Amber-Greece is not the Scum or Excrement of the Whale, &c., but issues out of the Root of a Tree, which Tree how far soever it stands on the Land, always shoots forth its roots towards the Sea, seeking the warmth of it, thereby to deliver the fattest Gum that comes out of it: Which tree otherwise by its copious fatness might be burnt and destroyed. Wherever that fat Gum is shot into the Sea, it is so tough, that it is not easily broken from the root, unless its own weight and the working of the warm Sea doth it, and so it floats on the Sea. There was found by a Soldier 7/8 of a pound, and by the chief, two pieces weighing five pounds. If you plant the Trees where the stream sets to the shore, then the stream will cast it up to great advantage. March 1, 1672, in Batavia, Journal Advice from— A Letter to the Publisher written by one of the principal Chirurgions of his Majesties Fleet, concerning the further success of the Blood-stanching liquor, formerly taken notice of. SIR, Doubt not but you have heard, with what admirable success the Royal Styptique liquor was used in the last engagement against the Dutch by the Chirurgions of the Earl of Offory, Sir Edward Spragg, and Sir John Berry, and others. A very good Physitian in Tarmouth, several credible persons also in London and other places (some of whom have taken it inwardly themselves) do give the like commendation of it for stopping bleeding upon Eruption or Apertion of a vessel in the Lungs or other Internal parts, being administered according to the printed direction.