^^OTE OX EOCK-GRAVINGS AT METSANG, 

 BECHUAXALAND PllOTECTORATE. 



By A. J. C. MoLYNEux, E.G.S. 



Read Juhj 15, 1920. 



Ill the report of the South African Museum for 1918 and 

 1919 the Director, Dr. Periiiguey, refers to the existence of 

 some gravings on rocks in tlie Soutli-West Protectorate, not 

 representing as usual animals or figures, but hoofs of animals 

 and human feet : g-ravings of a new type. Casts had been 

 obtained for the Museum, of which X'liotographs are given in 

 the report. Dr. Peringuey repeats a statement by the late 

 Theophilus Halm " that in the Xaniib the Bush People had 

 signs (?) painted (?) or graved ( ?) to denote places where they 

 had found water." 



I have a note of seeing, in August, 1913, somewhat similar 

 gravings at Metsang, in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, some 

 three miles west of Pilane Siding (mile-post 984i), eight miles 

 south of Mochudi station. At this siding an escarpment of 

 Waterberg sandstone, facing the «outh, crosses the railway 

 and merges into higher land to the west. At Metsang is a 

 clean, level rock floor of grit, some 50 yards in diameter, in 

 the centre of which is a hole or enlarged joint six feet across 

 and about the same measurement in depth, but would probably 

 be deeper were it cleaned out. It was dry at the time of my 

 visit, but that it had been greatly frequented was shown by 

 the polished condition of the rocky rim, brought about by the 

 passing of feet. All around the bare floor tJie country is of 

 loose red sand, so that accumulations of water, even in the 

 wet season, are uncommon. 



On the flat surface are chipped or graved the outlines of 

 human feet of sizes ranging from those of children to that 

 of a large adult, which measured 14 inches long. There are 

 also the drawings of pads of canines, lions and smaller felines, 

 to the number of abaut thirty. Some are faint and others 

 sharply (-ut — suggesting that the gravings wore done at 

 different times. There are none of antelope^s or other animals. 

 In the originals there is no attempt to show relief— and in 

 this they are different from those shown by Dr. Peringiiey. 

 Native legend is that the gravings were done by " ancient 

 people." 



Note. — Since writing this note I have been reminded of a paper 

 appearing in the " Proceedings of the Rhodesia Scientific Association," 

 1907, vol. vii, pp. 59-61, entitled "Ruins at Bumbusi " (Wankie 

 District), in wliich illustrations of rock gravings of antelopes' hoofs are 

 given. 



