chap, xxiii MARIN RENAUD'S REVENGE 111
pain is equal to 600 livres l
of our money; but Marin was only willing to give one ; the other held
out on his side and kept the piece in his box. A few days afterwards,
either spite at not being able to get the piece of ambergris for what
he had offered caused Marin to speak, or the matter was discovered in
some other way ; the report, however, was spread throughout the vessel
that the corporal had a big piece of ambergris in his box, which he had
found by chance on the shore of the island near which the Portuguese
were at anchor, and the sailors and soldiers then insisted on having
their share. Marin Renaud out of petty revenge set the ball a-rolling
and taught them their lesson. They told the corporal that, being all
comrades and all running the same risks, it was just that they should
all share in common the benefits which fortune offered them; and,
moreover, that he was not the only one to whom she had disclosed this
piece of ambergris, which should consequently be divided between all
the crew. The corporal defended himself as well as he could, and as
there were some who took his part, in the hope of having a better share
of the piece if there were few pretenders to it, the dispute became so
hot that at length it gave rise to a disturbance, which the captain of
the vessel at once prudently sought to allay. He pointed out to the
sailors and soldiers that this large piece of ambergris, which, when it
was weighed in their presence, proved to be 33 livres in weight, being
a rare piece and worthy of being presented to the King, it was a pity
to break it into so many small pieces ; that they would find it pay
them better to keep it till their return to Goa, where if it was
presented to the Viceroy, he would not fail to pay handsomely for it,
and by this means they would each receive much more. This suggestion of
the captain was generally approved. They pursued their voyage to the
Manillas, and on their return the piece of ambergris was taken to the
Viceroy. The captain told him beforehand how the matter stood, and they
concerted together how they could secure the ambergris without it
1
Literally ' loaves '. The English name for the ingots of gold used in
currency by the Chinese was ' shoes '; the equivalent value here would
be £45. See vol. i, p. 331 ; Yule, Hobson-Jobson, 830.
