SHYNRANG THLOO, 1st (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) was understood to represent a seasonal wet weather sink in rift passages (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.18 Mss: Krem Shynrang Thloo 1). ETYMOLOGY: It is probably impossible to reconstruct what Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt had in mind when he composed, assisted by the young boys Ruben and Ronnie, the seemingly Synteng Khasi (Pnar) cave name -Shynrang Thloo- (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.18 Mss) which translates literally as Cave [of the] Male [of the] Hole or, simply said, Hole Man Cave. It seems likely that A R Jarratt was not only able to confuse the Khasi words -shynrang- (note 1) and -synrang- (note 2) but also could not distinguish between -thloo- or -thlu- (note 3) and -thlúh- (note 4). SITUATION: Unknown. Not only in a setting that was done away with as undescribable (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.18 Mss, undated 2000.02.22 Mss) and at a location with an inadequate GPS positin (note 5) but also in unidentified spatial relations to Krem –>Shynrang Thloo, 2nd (note 6) and to the Yorkshire Pot (note 7). APPROACH: The cave entrance had been reached in February 2002 by a relatively steep path up from a junction (with an unidentified GPS position) on one of certain limekiln / Lumshnong / Umlong village paths (near the –>Tom Cave) to a plantation with what looked like a relatively small sand quarry and an apparently old, partly filled coal shaft: Follow path to right (east) round Krem –>Shynrang Thluh 2 doline, then head north-west past choked sink to next doline with 15 m high cliffs. A large sloping sandstone slab indicates the cave entrance. POSITION: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2002.02.18) had not only used a legendarily capricious Magellan 310 GPS receiver but also ignored the GPS reading's estimated precision error (EPE), prefered deception over attention and presumed a relatively reasonable precision error (sic!). CAVE DESCRIPTION: Climb down in stylefrom sandstone sloping slab for 18.4 m at angle 65° to reach cross rift. To right (030°) is choke of sandstone boulders after 5 m. To left (13 m passage at 042°, all over sandstone boulders, partly rounded) leads to flat out crawl and duck not attempted and, if you wish, very unpleasant looking. TACKLE: 10 m ladder or lifeline is useful to descend steep slope of slippery sandstone boulders. PROSPECTS: Limited. A waterproof midget might get further. CAVE CLIMATE: At midday on 18th February 2002 Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (circa 2000.02.22 Mss: Krem Near Yorkshire Pot) had noticed a slight inwards draught (air current). CAVE LIFE: Bats (Chiroptera), spiders (Heteropoda), snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae).n (note 5) but also in unidentified spatial relations to Krem –>Shynrang Thloo, 2nd (note 6) and to the Yorkshire Pot (note 7). APPROACH: The cave entrance had been reached in February 2002 by a relatively steep path up from a junction (with an unidentified GPS position) on one of certain limekiln / Lumshnong / Umlong village paths (near the –>Tom Cave) to a plantation with what looked like a relatively small sand quarry and an apparently old, partly filled coal shaft: Follow path to right (east) round Krem –>Shynrang Thluh 2 doline, then head north-west past choked sink to next doline with 15 m high cliffs. A large sloping sandstone slab indicates the cave entrance. POSITION: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2002.02.18) had not only used a legendarily capricious Magellan 310 GPS receiver but also ignored the GPS reading's estimated precision error (EPE), prefered deception over attention and presumed a relatively reasonable precision error (sic!). CAVE DESCRIPTION: Climb down in stylen (note 5) but also in unidentified spatial relations to Krem –>Shynrang Thloo, 2nd (note 6) and to the Yorkshire Pot (note 7). APPROACH: The cave entrance had been reached in February 2002 by a relatively steep path up from a junction (with an unidentified GPS position) on one of certain limekiln / Lumshnong / Umlong village paths (near the –>Tom Cave) to a plantation with what looked like a relatively small sand quarry and an apparently old, partly filled coal shaft: Follow path to right (east) round Krem –>Shynrang Thluh 2 doline, then head north-west past choked sink to next doline with 15 m high cliffs. A large sloping sandstone slab indicates the cave entrance. POSITION: Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (2002.02.18) had not only used a legendarily capricious Magellan 310 GPS receiver but also ignored the GPS reading's estimated precision error (EPE), prefered deception over attention and presumed a relatively reasonable precision error (sic!). CAVE DESCRIPTION: Climb down in stylefrom sandstone sloping slab for 18.4 m at angle 65° to reach cross rift. To right (030°) is choke of sandstone boulders after 5 m. To left (13 m passage at 042°, all over sandstone boulders, partly rounded) leads to flat out crawl and duck not attempted and, if you wish, very unpleasant looking. TACKLE: 10 m ladder or lifeline is useful to descend steep slope of slippery sandstone boulders. PROSPECTS: Limited. A waterproof midget might get further. CAVE CLIMATE: At midday on 18th February 2002 Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (circa 2000.02.22 Mss: Krem Near Yorkshire Pot) had noticed a slight inwards draught (air current). CAVE LIFE: Bats (Chiroptera), spiders (Heteropoda), snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae).