The Stone Ages of South Africa. 67 



been deposited so as to form an irregular circle. Fig. 86, PI. XI., 

 was found on the slope of that floor. Fairly numerous, too, were 

 the small Cape Flats flakes, and we picked up several muUers of 

 small dimensions with the usual ground end of the type of Fig. 168 

 in PL XXIII. 



Some 2 miles oif, and near a lagoon, but in line with this floor, 

 quite a number of mortars, some of large dimensions, have since 

 been discovered close to each other, some being very much sand- 

 worn. 



On examination it is found that in a few of the bouchers occurring 

 in that locality the original reverse smooth face (Mousterian type) 

 has been retained ; others show usually an attempt at paring, while 

 on each side, and round the butt also, many show signs of having 

 been manufactured from a rounded pebble by retaining a part of the 

 contour. The majority were plainlj' detached from large nuclei. 

 The cleaving tools were very serviceable, and of the type of Fig. 33, 

 PI. IV. 



In length, the digging tools vary from 26 cm. to 10 cm. I have 

 seen an extremely well-shaped example of the size and shape of 

 Fig. 4, PI. I, We found a few throwing-stones, and the usual 

 accompanying waste of broad flakes that could be utilised as 

 scrapers. All these implements were very finely pitted by sand 

 action. But, taken together, the bouchers, nuclei, and large flakes 

 are undoubtedly of the Stellenbosch, Chellean-Mousterian type, the 

 only diff'erence being that they are made from a grained, more 

 quartzitic sandstone. 



Yet there is no evidence that the narrow lamellate surface- 

 quartzite flakes, the mullers with one rounded face, the mortars 

 with the hollow depression, and the rough potsherds are connected 

 with the Stellenbosch, Chellean-Mousterian type, although some 

 reservation may be made in regard to the scrapers or flakes. How 

 can the finding of types so very different lying together in close 

 juxtaposition be reconciled? 



The valley of Fishhook is extremely well suited to the require- 

 ments of primitive man, whose main life support was fishing or 

 hunting. An abundance of never-failing water — so attractive an 

 object to man or beast in Africa — an extremely mild climate, "vleis" 

 wherein to fish or obtain wildfowl, a superfluous abundance of sea- 

 shell (Haliotis, Patella, Mytilus) to be found on either side of the 

 isthmus, such were the advantages that primitive man found at 

 Fishhook, and of which, judging from its relics, he made the 

 most of. 



