KHLAW SONG (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The [funnel-shaped cave] entrance is a sinkhole, about 2 m in diameter, partly blocked with boulders and flood debris. A short and low (crawling) bedding plane passage leads into a narrow meander [note 1] giving access to the first chamber [of a] seasonal sink which drains an area of about 5 km2 and contains not only unspecified secondary calcite formations (speleothems) but also mud, sand and rounded gravel (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave; Arbenz, T 2012.09.07 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave; Arbenz, T 2011.04.02 personal correspondence: Khlaw Song; Arbenz, T 2012.09.07 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc). EVALUATION: The cave is a seasonal sink which drains a small area of about 5 km2 [note 2] (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss; 2012.09.07 Mss). ETYMOLOGY: The Synteng Khasi cave name -Krem Khlaw Song- translates as something along the lines of an excavated horn or a dug-out trumpet and this is what the cave entrance, a funnel shaped closed depression, looks like (ote 3). SITUATION: The cave entrance and sinkhole of Krem Khlaw Song lies on the south-eastern flank of a meander core (a partly cut-off meander spur) embraced by the orographically right bank of the Kopili River and an estimated 10 m (or so) vertically above the waterlevel in the riverbed (note 4). POSITION 2010 -- only a full year before the very first GPS reading near the cave entrance had been recorded -- near (allegedly ±11 m) N25°25'30.1”: E 092°37'19.1”: 737 m (WGS84, Arbenz T 19.2.2010 in: ARBENZ, T 2012: 234). POSITION 2011.02.15a: (±?) N25°25'30.2”: E092°37'19.1” / N 25.42505°: E 92.621967° recorded as DD°MM.MMM format N25°25.503': E092°37.318' (unspecified geodetic datum apparently WGS84, anonymous Dawson, H B or Kharpran Daly, B D 2011.02.15 capricious 4-channel GPS Magellan 2000 XL). POSITION 2011.02.15a: (±?) N25°25'35.2: E092°36'34.5- (unspecified geodetic datum apparently WGS84) Brian, Henry, Vijay, Teddy and Mel were again led across the Kopili by Mynln [Manar] to a cave called Krem Khlaw Song which was GPS’d at N 25°25'50.3”: E092°37'31.8- [unidentified geodetic datum]. Due to the fact that this position was taken on Brian’s Magellan, which was wrongly set, the position had to be re-calculated to N25°25'35.2: E092°36'34.5- [unspecified geodetic datum]. This was later proved to be correct (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: Tuesday, 15th February 2011). POSITION 2011.03.27: (±11 m) 25°25’30.1”: E092°37’19.1”: 737 m asl (WGS84, allegedly H.Dawson 15.2.2011 GPS Garmin e-trex Vista in: Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave = Krem Khlaw Song.doc). POSITION 2012.09.07: (±11 m) 25°25’30.1”: E092°37’19.1”: 737 m asl (WGS84, allegedly H.Dawson 15.2.2011 GPS Garmin e-trex Vista in: Arbenz, T 2012.09.07 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave = Krem Khlaw Song.doc). APPROACH 2011.02.19: To reach the cave entrance to this Krem Khlaw Song from a jetty (25°25'49.1”N: 92°36'15.1”: 717 m) on the orographically left (locally western) bank of the Kopili River (26°15'N: 92°10'E) and about 1.5 km in a direct line ESE from the from the village of Kseh (St. Joseph church near 25°25’24.0”N: 92°35’32.9”E: circa 880 m), cross the river by boat (ask a briew lieng, in short: 'riewlieng; boatman) for the opposite, orographically right (locally eastern) bank and … proceed [for an unspecified walking distance] on a footpath east to [an unspecified] the farm [at an unidentified GPS position]. Continue east on the footpath till you reach the top of a low rising [at an unidentified GPS position]. Cross the crest and walk east for 100 m downhill. Here, the path follows the crest of a small grassy ridge and leads after 300 m into a pine grove [unidentified GPS position]. To the south, about 50 m lower down, there is a small valley with a river which has its origin in several ravines on the S-flank of [an unidentified, so-called] the ridge. Follow either the ravine to the rverbed (dry in February 2011) and follow the river south till it reaches a relatively low cliff [of unidentified height] exposing red-coloured [sand?] stone. The river skirts the cliff for 30 m and vanishes into two gullies [sinkholes] of which the second is the cave entrance of Krem Khlaw Song (modified after Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc). APPROACH 2011.03.27a: A paragraph in the diary narrates how Thomas, Peter and Brian left Nicky, Vijay, Manuel and Oana who were on their way to Krem Bsein to turn right to the other side of the valley along a dry riverbed till they came to the sink Krem Khlaw Song (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: 17th February 2011, Thursday). APPROACH 2011.03.27b: Cross the Kopili River at the Kseh Jetty (N25°25’49.1”: E092°36’15.1”: 717 m asl) by boat. Follow the footpath … east to a farm with garden and cow shed. Continue east on the footpath till you reach the top of a low rising. Cross the crest and walk eastagain, downhill for 100 m. The path follows now the crest of a small grassy ridge which leads into a pine grove after 300 m. To the south, about 50 m lower, there is a small valley with a river, which has its origin in several ravines on the S-flank of the ridge. Follow either ravine to the riverbed (dry) and follow the river south till it reaches a low cliff of red shell bearing limestone. The river skirts the cliff for 30 m and vanishes in two sink holes. The second is the entrance to Krem Khlaw Song (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave = Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The relatively narrow (0.7 m wide), low (1.5 m high) and 15 m long entrance meander with ankle- to knee-deep water and leads to a relatively roomy chamber with nice to look at secondary calcite formations. Here a first side passage leads up into a very nice, relic chamber with sandy floor and white-coulered formations. The initially meandering main passage (on average 2 m wide and 2.5m high) leads south-east getting lower and straighter after about 80 m. The cave now takes up its main SW-NE direction as a bedding plane passage (3.5 m wide, 0.5 m high) with sandy floor which opens up to stooping size getting narrower and leading slightly upwards. At the “end” a short step down leads to a calcite formation which blocks the way on. It leaves only 20 cm of air space between floor and rock. This could be dug out, the floor being sand and gravel (modified after Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc). A paragraph in the diary narrates how Thomas, Peter and Brian left Nicky, Vijay, Manuel and Oana … came to the sink Krem Khlaw Song. The entrance was [or, more likely, leads to] a low crawl in ankle deep water, which a few metres later on, dramatically turned into a really dry passage of walking, stooping and crawling, somewhat beautiful passage to finally end at a stal curtain that almost touches the floor. A dig tried due to an emerging air current gained additionl cave … passage. The team surveyed 330 metres (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: 17th February 2011, Thursday). TACKLE: None required (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc) but carrying an umbrella, a towel and source of light is often usefull. PROSPECTS: Some potential after the calcite obstacle [obstruction] which could be dug out (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave = Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2011.02.19 Mss) reports to have noticed at the calcite obstruction on 17th February 2011 at an unspecified time the presence of an air current with an unidentified direction, which either indicates an unknown alternative cave entrance or can be interpreted as a slight draught [that] suggests more [cave] passage (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc) lists Single bat (Rhinopholus), spiders, crickets, lizard (gecko), two rats (Arachnia: conf. Aranea. Orthoptera. Squamata: Lacertilia: Gekkonida. Rodentia conf. Murida. Chiroptera: conf. Rhinolophus). A paragraph in the diary narrates how Thomas, Peter and Brian left Nicky, Vijay, Manuel and Oana … photographed on the way out a couple of quite nice looking rats and near the entrance a gecko which exited Manuel who thought it might possibly be (another) new species (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: 17th February 2011, Thursday).l cave … passage. The team surveyed 330 metres (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: 17th February 2011, Thursday). TACKLE: None required (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc) but carrying an umbrella, a towel and source of light is often usefull. PROSPECTS: Some potential after the calcite obstacle [obstruction] which could be dug out (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave = Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2011.02.19 Mss) reports to have noticed at the calcite obstruction on 17th February 2011 at an unspecified time the presence of an air current with an unidentified direction, which either indicates an unknown alternative cave entrance or can be interpreted as a slight draught [that] suggests more [cave] passage (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc) lists Single bat (Rhinopholus), spiders, crickets, lizard (gecko), two rats (Arachnil cave … passage. The team surveyed 330 metres (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: 17th February 2011, Thursday). TACKLE: None required (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc) but carrying an umbrella, a towel and source of light is often usefull. PROSPECTS: Some potential after the calcite obstacle [obstruction] which could be dug out (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Mss: Krem Khlaw Song 15.2.2011 New Cave = Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE CLIMATE: Arbenz, T (2011.02.19 Mss) reports to have noticed at the calcite obstruction on 17th February 2011 at an unspecified time the presence of an air current with an unidentified direction, which either indicates an unknown alternative cave entrance or can be interpreted as a slight draught [that] suggests more [cave] passage (Arbenz, T 2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc). CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2011.02.19 Mss: Krem Khlaw Song.doc) lists Single bat (Rhinopholus), spiders, crickets, lizard (gecko), two rats (Arachnia: conf. Aranea. Orthoptera. Squamata: Lacertilia: Gekkonida. Rodentia conf. Murida. Chiroptera: conf. Rhinolophus). A paragraph in the diary narrates how Thomas, Peter and Brian left Nicky, Vijay, Manuel and Oana … photographed on the way out a couple of quite nice looking rats and near the entrance a gecko which exited Manuel who thought it might possibly be (another) new species (anonymous Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: 17th February 2011, Thursday).