WELL SHAFT, Leora
30.746700,77.794400
Description
An approximately 22.25 m deep vertical cave (pothole), which has been formed along a rift (120°/-90°), is situated on the south-facing slope of a hill side somewhere near the village of Leora (see: Caves at –>Leora) and about 15 m or 18 m (note 1) below –>Dog Skull Pot (note 2). SITUATION: »… on a steep slope of about 35° from the vertical [55° from the horizontal]. About 50 ft. lower down the same slope [where –>Dog Skull Pot lies]« (Leakey 1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The shaft descends »over 70 feet down« and the opinion of Glennie 1942.10.05-19 Mss: Diary) is »uninteresting.« On the other hand, it is not impossible to notice that the terrain on the approach to the cave entrance is »… having the least trace of a catchment area [note 4] … The second pot was … in shape just like a well. Its depth was 73 ft [22.35 m] finishing blind, in the usual way« (Leakey 1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves).A careful look reveils an about 0.7 m or 1 m wide, south-facing cave entrance, which gives access to a shaft gaining a width of up to 4.3 m. Past what appears to be a ledge approximately 15.5 m down, a sort of intermediate floor is reached at a level of 18.5 m or 19 m below the cave entrance but a climb down through a gate (0.7 or 1 m high) north-east (30°, along a geological disturbance?) drops another 2.6 m to a level floor some »73 ft.« (22.25 m) below the entrance threshold (after Leakey 1942.10.10 cave plan »Well Shaft« (note 3) on »scale 20 ft. to 1 inch« (about 1: 240) and signed »RDL 10/10/42«
NOTE 1: Leakey (1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves) has 50 feet (15.24 m) but a note in Leakey's hand added to the margin of Leakey (1942.10.10 cave plan: Well Shaft) says »situated about 60 ft. [18.29 m] below Dog Skull Pot« —with the latter figure quoted from memory? NOTE 2: Leakey (1942.12.03 Mss:Himalayan Caves) places the two –>Leora Caves –>Dog Skull Pot and Well Shaft »... about 4 hours march from Chakrata in the Budyar [Budher] direction […] on a south face slope near Leora village … [and] on a steep slope of about 35° from the vertical.« NOTE 3: Robert D. Leakey surveyed and produced a quite nicely drawn horizontal projection (210°/±00°, scale 20 feet to One inch, signed RDL 10/10/42), complete with dangling ladder, which GLENNIE (1952b: 87 figure 8) –or his editor– copied crudely, erroneously titled »Bodhyar Pot« and reduced in depth by 3 feet to 70 feet or 21.34 m. Glennie, then Colonel, ranked higher than the "youth" Leakey in the Ingreeze scale of caste and the difference had to be stated. Glennie's surveys in GLENNIE (1952b), for example, claim a "grade 3" degree survey while those of Leakey are but "grade 2" —the difference being that both were "measured" by computing estimated ladder lengths. One has to admit, however, that the surveys of Glennie are superior insofar as Leakey had some drawing skills. NOTE 4: R. D. Leakey uses the term "catchment area" to designate an obvious stream bed (headwaters) or closed depression draining surface water straight into that cave entrance enterable by soldiers or humans.
History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1942.10.10: Robert D. Leakey (1942.10.10 cave plan: Well Shaft; 1942.12.03 Mss: Himalayan Caves) descended, sort of surveyed and mapped Well Shaft, guided by unidentified shepherds, assisted by unidentified porters and in company with Edward Aubrey Glennie (1942.10.05-19 Mss: Diary), Mary Hazelton (Glennie's niece), A. E. Leydon, one "Michael" (?) and a "Wheeler" (?).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | DOG SKULL POT | ||
| 1.1 | BUDHER MUD POT | ||
| 1.1 | BUDHER SLIT POT | ||
| 1.1 | BUDHER TIMBER POT | ||
| 1.2 | KANDWA POT 4 | ||
| 1.2 | KANDWA POT 5 | ||
| 1.2 | KANDWA POT 3 | ||
| 1.2 | KANDWA POT 6 | ||
| 1.2 | KANDWA POT |