42 
Mr Stevenson mi the Bed of the 
towns are governed by distinct chiefs, of the same race, indeed, 
with the Zabua of Mogaun, but totally independent of his au- 
thority, and dignified with the same title. Twenty days jour- 
ne}^, or about 150 miles from Paieendussn, and west from the 
western branch of the Erawadi, the ambassador’s map has a 
town called Mainkm W esali, the inhabitants of which, accord- 
ing to the officer, are not subject to Ava, but wear white dresses 
like the Kulas, or natives of Hindustan, and are, I presume, 
the people of Asam, who have now adopted the manners of the 
Bengalese. The officer never was at Mainlun, but learned that 
the road passes over many difficult mountains. From this ac- 
count, I do not see it necessary to extend the northern limits of 
the empire of Ava farther north than has been done by Mr 
Arrowsmith ; but as in his map of Hindustan he has extended 
Asam a degree farther east than in his map of Asia, the Ken- 
pou, on leaving Thibet, must be bent east, and continued near 
the frontier till it joins the river from Tchoudsong, when both 
turn south to Panmo and Ava ; and farther, the distance be- 
tween the frontier of Asam and that of Y unnan in China, in a 
direct line, will be about 140 miles. 
Art. V . — On the Bed of the German Ocean^ or North Sea 
By Robert Stevenson, Esq. F. R. S. E. & M. W. S. Civil 
Engineer. Communicated by the Author. 
A HE efforts of man in exploring the more occult processes of 
nature are necessarily much circumscribed, especially when his 
attempts are directed to the investigation of regions which his 
senses cannot penetrate. It has accordingly been with the ut- 
most difficulty that his exertions have been rendered in any de- 
gree successful in prying into the boweis of the earth, or in his 
endeavours to ascend to the aerial regions. In proof of this, 
the limited excavations even of the most extensive mining-w'orks, 
have required the lapse of ages, and the powerful stimulus of 
commercial enterprize, for their accomplishment. From these, 
Read before the Wernerian Natural History Society, 25th Mai'ch 1S20- 
