53-2 THE ENGRAVED ROCK OF LOE. 



together, sometimes even overlapping each other. Very occasion- 

 ally they are paired. Some are huge, others quite small. Some 

 of them are of human beings, and these are the most conspicuous 

 (PI. 13B, PI. 14B, PI. 15); the majority are of animals, the lion 

 (PI. 13A), baboon (PI. 13B), rhinoceros (PI. 14 a and b). 

 hippopotamus (PI. 14A) and others. No distinct antelope spoors 

 were noticed. 



The representations of the human foot are of special interest. 

 Some are very large and coarse, up to 33 cm. long (PI. 13) ; some 

 are quite small, down to 13 cm. lon,^. The largest foot has six 

 toes, the majority five; none give the impression of having been 

 outlined direct from life. 



At times the object depicted is pecked throughout but more 

 often only the outlines are shown. The pecking is coarse and 

 deep and in parts — the toes and the pads of the feet — the rock 

 may even have been scooped out up to the depth of i cm. Unlike 

 so many others of their kind, they have not been spoiled by the 

 hand oi man ; but they have been worn down by the animals that 

 come to water here and by the weathering agencies to such an 

 extent that some of them have been almost obliterated. 



Rubbings were made of as many as possible, where the rock 

 was not too smooth to permit of this mode of reproduction, but 

 lack of time_did not allow of visits to the old people around for 

 the purpose of taking down, for piecing together, the various 

 fragments of the Metsieng legend that might still remain in these 

 parts. 



An apneal was therefore made to Mr. J. C. Knobel, then 

 residing at Mochudi, the stad of Linchwe, Chief of the Bagkatla, 

 who have replaced the Bakwena (Bokone) in these parts. 



The result of his researches is as follows : — 



The legend of Loe, of i\Iatsieng, seems to be the common property 

 of all the Bechuana tribes and I have been assured that among the 

 Basuto also it still survives. Nevertheless it is almost impossible to-day 

 to fet at the truth about this interesting belief. 



The stone of Loe is situated about three miles west of the railway 

 line, between Pilane siding and Mochudi station, nearest the o8g] mile- 

 post from Cape Town. 



It is an outcrop of sandstone lying inconspicuously in the middle l i 

 a heavj^ sand belt, and one may pass close to the stone without noticing it. 



The story goes that Matsieng proceeded out of the hole which is 

 about two or three paces from where his footprint is seen. As there is 

 only one, and that a large one, he must have been a one-legged giant. He 

 was a great hunter and lover of flesh. According to some narrators he 

 was the first creature and the different tribes and animals were called 

 out by him, and some old Bechuana even say that in the days of their 

 forefathers there could still be heard the lowing of cattle, the bleating of 

 goats and sheep, the barking of dogs and the growling of wild beasts 

 down in the hole, which was then deep and fearful. According to other 

 narrators the animals of which the footprints are seen leading from 

 and towards the hole come out before Matsieng, beginning with the 

 lowest forms of animal life and going higher up. They were followed 

 by the Bushmen, these again liy the Bakalahari, and they in turn by 

 the Bechuana. 



There is what must be a recent addition, since it brings in the white 

 man. It gives the native view of the cause for the different relative 



