igo REPORT—1840. 
ration of waters between these two basins, which may be termed a 
postscript to some remarks I formerly had occasion to make on M. de 
Bertou’s account of his journey in 1838 through the Wadi el ’Arabah, 
from the Asphaltic lake to the Elanitic gulf*. At that time I took it 
for granted that the Wadi Talha of Bertou (according to his own map) 
was identical with the great Wadi Jerafeh, with which we had become 
acquainted while travelling through the western desert to Hebron, and, 
again, as seen from the pass of Nemela, north of Mount Hor. But on 
a careful construction of Bertou’s itinerary by M. Kiepert, of Berlin, it 
appears that his Wadi Talha must be situated about two hours south of 
the Jerafeh, and has no connexion whatever with the latter. It would 
seem, therefore, to be the Wadi Abu Talha of Burckhardt. The effect 
of this is to move the place of the water-shed, as specified by Bertou, 
to a point some six miles further south than I had supposed him to 
mean ; and if this correction be well founded, it follows that the travel- 
ler passed before, and probably across the mouth of the Jerafeh, with- 
out noticing it; although this is the great drain of all the adjacent parts 
of the western desert, and one of the most important and remarkable 
features of the whole region.” 
In connexion with Dr. Robinson’s recent travels through Palestine, 
Capt. Washington exhibited a newly-constructed plan of the city of 
Jerusalem, correcting many former inaccuracies, pointing out several 
ancient sites, and showing the shading of the hills within the city, a 
feature not represented on any former plan. 
Some Observations on Relief Maps. By M. A. RAVENSTEIN, of 
Frankfort. 
“‘ The obvious advantages of maps stamped in relief for representing 
the great physical features of a country, and the probability that such 
maps will soon be very extensively used, induces me to offer a few 
words in reply to a request I have received, to state my opinion on the 
relief maps of M. Kummer, of Berlin. With regard to their invention, 
I must claim to have been the first who introduced the method of rais- 
ing the hills, by means of the press or stamping, as may be seen by my 
«Plastic Atlas,” published in 1838; it would be unjust, therefore, to 
attribute to Berlin that which was first made at Frankfort. It must be 
observed, that these are quite distinct from M. Kummer’s “ Globe en 
relief,” published some years since, as that was made of papier maché. 
M. Bauerkeller, of Paris, also made public, in 1839, his “ Environs de 
Paris,” in the stamped relief method, with the difference, however, that 
the colours are put in after the Congreve manner. In the preface to 
my Plastic Atlas, I anticipated that great improvements would be made ; 
and it is due to M. Kummer to state, that he has so far succeeded, as 
to lead me to hope that these maps will shortly reach still greater per- 
fection, and, when made on a large scale, will come into general use, 
* See the Atheneum, No. 658. 
