|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
There was one other substance derived from whales that commanded an extremely high price, because only small quantities were ever found. Sometimes floating, sometimes cast up on beaches. Can you name it?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
its been on the tip of my tongue for the past hour! and i still can't think of it..
it's ear wax ? or adreanal fat? or some such odd thing, a waxy substance.. and its used as a fixative for perfume..
now days there are synthetic compounds that do the same thing, but its still the best, and used in the best perfumes.. and its.. its.. Oh drat!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Hurry up, Mav. Of troy's on the right track.I just found the answer by searching using two of Helen's words.
Maybe Mav's already gone to bed.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,674 Likes: 1
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,674 Likes: 1 |
Are you thinking of ambergris?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
You got it, wofahulicodoc. Incidentally for anyone interested, there is a nice site about Ambergris. http://www.netstrider.com/documents/ambergris/ You have to click on things to get text.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289 |
Your mention of thimbles brings to mind a couple of my favorite German words. The German word for thimble is Fingerhut which means literally, 'finger hat'. The word for glove is Handschuh, 'handshoe'. Incredibly literal minded, those Krauts.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear Bob: the one that still baffles me is how did "skein" come to mean the same thing as "thimble"?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146 |
Your mention of thimbles brings to mind a couple of my favorite German words. The German word for thimble is Fingerhut which means literally, 'finger hat'. The word for glove is Handschuh, 'handshoe'. Incredibly literal minded, those Krauts.
You're right. You should see what they did with "final solution"!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605 |
Thank you, CK. That too is a subject for jest.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
and what are those little clamps called that ropes are wrapped around? I haven't got the foggiest what a "futtock shroud" is, WW, but those "little clamps" are called "cleats".
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,512
Members9,187
|
Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
0 members (),
197
guests, and
2
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|