WANSIEJ (Krang)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A 5 m wide and high cave entrance (unidentified shape, facing NNW) behind 3 m high boulders was interpreted to function as a perennial drain of surface water in the sense of a sink and leads 50 m straight ESE to an impenetrable constriction 0.8 m further down. The greater part of the cave, however, is a slightly ascending, north-south trending lateral cave passage only 5 m from the entrance. It is initially 5 m wide and high but choked after 95 m in the northernmost known corner of the penetrable cave passage. In addition to a bypass is a tributary passage from north-east, which, however, is relatively small and reaches after penetrable 50 m a point too tight to proceed. Somewhere around are unspecified secondary calcite formations (speleothems) interpreted as some calcite formations (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc). ETYMOLOGY: An unidentified informant (no name mentioned, undated) suggested to explain the cave name Krem Wansiej as Cave (where) shaply bamboo (grows) (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc). Possibly intended, however, was probably rather a -krang- (Lakadong Khasi) than a -krem- (standard Khasi) or cave spacified by -wan- (note 1) and -siej- (note 2) or bamboo (Gramineae family: Bambusa and other genera), the giant woody grass that grows chiefly in the tropics, where it is widely cultivated. The corrupted variant Krem Wanseij (anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls; Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx) makes no sense. SITUATION: The GPS position recorded for one spot near the cave entrance to Krem Wanseij (note 3) indicates a spot which lies about 300 m in a direct line south-east from the orographically left (south-east) bank of the south-west flowing Sailynter on the north-eastern rim of the Lakadong plateau. The cave entrance to Krang Wansiej seems to lie about 1360 m in a direct line approximately north-east (891 m north, 1025 m eat) from what had been in February 2002 a tea shop (dukan sha) that stood in an unidentified spatial relation near (sic!) the Inspection Bungalow Umlynsha I.B. (note 4). SITUATION 2014.12.26: Near pond, NE of Umlyngsha [sic!] (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc). APPROACH: Walk from a starting point (unidentified GPS position) with a bridge at Umlynsha for 300 m northeast through forest to a water pipe. Follow the pipe up to two ponds with one or two unidentified names. Ford two brooks and reach a water basin about 75 m into the jungle. The entrance is on the right side of a person without orientation (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: Seasonal sink, starting big, into boulder choke and contact cave sandstone-limestone (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.12.26: Initially a big (5m x 5m) passage, choked. 3 Side passges, nice but small al of which become too tight to procede (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). SPORTS DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05: 248.00 Finished (Anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls). CAVE CONTENTS: Boulders, some calcite formations (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc). CAVE LIFE: Arthropoda (Arachnida conf. Aranea; Isopoda, Diptera) and Vertebrate (Pisces) identified as three species of non-troglobiotic fish, woodlice, larval stage of mosquitos. Spiders (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc).l of which become too tight to procede (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). SPORTS DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.05: 248.00 Finished (Anonymous 2014.04.05 Expedition Survey Log 2014 (8-3-2014).xls). CAVE CONTENTS: Boulders, some calcite formations (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc). CAVE LIFE: Arthropoda (Arachnida conf. Aranea; Isopoda, Diptera) and Vertebrate (Pisces) identified as three species of non-troglobiotic fish, woodlice, larval stage of mosquitos. Spiders (Arbenz, T 2014.12.26 Mss: Manuel Ruedi 25-02-2014 Krem Wansiej.doc).