NIANG JU (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A bare doline with a sinkhole with an unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) is said to give access to a certain Krem Niang Ju (or so). ETYMOLOGY: The meaning and origin of the possibly offhand created and, perhaps, pseudo-Synteng (Khasi) cave name Krem Niang Ju (JARRATT & DAWSON 2007) considered all the involved sportsmen as too difficult to interpret or understand but the recorded cave name appears to refer to a cave used either by pigs or vermin (note 1). Both ARBENZ (2008 Fieldbook: 73 Krem Niang Ju) and ARBENZ (2008 Fieldbook: 103 Toss A Rock Pot) associate Krem Niang Ju with the Rat Cave and leave us alone (note 2). SITUATION: In an unspecified setting somewhere in the vicinity of the cave entrance to the second Krem –>Dngiem, Lumthymme, and at an estimated linear distance of 30 m approximately south-west from the so-called –>Toss Rock Pot or Toss A Rock Pot with which, however, it shares on and the same GPS position (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73, 103). This is obviously not the case insofar as two distinct cave entrances never occupy one and the same space. APPROACH: The cave entrances to both Krem Niang Ju and –>Toss Rock Pot (Toss A Rock Pot) can be simultaneously reached from the col (note 3) between Lumthymme (note 4) and Moolasngi (100 m after Y-junction) (note 5), where, at a lone house and cow shed, a footpath north-east (or, perhaps, north-west) leads to a distinct, square pine grove (note 6): Stay on the path for over a creek and up a short slope. On top of the slope, take a footpath NE that brings you well round the depression and shaft of Krem Dngiem 2 (N25°22'16.0”: E92°32'05.5” WGS84: 993 m asl). The path down through light jungle emerges near a bare doline with a sinkhole. This is Krem Niang Ju (the Rat Cave) (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73, 103). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The distinct but rather narrow sinkhole / swallet [sink in] soil and gravel bears down at n angle of about 60° [east by north-east], looks quite unpleasant but needs to be verified (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73). PROSPECTS: Apparently minimal (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73). and the same GPS position (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73, 103). This is obviously not the case insofar as two distinct cave entrances never occupy one and the same space. APPROACH: The cave entrances to both Krem Niang Ju and –>Toss Rock Pot (Toss A Rock Pot) can be simultaneously reached from the col (note 3) between Lumthymme (note 4) and Moolasngi (100 m after Y-junction) (note 5), where, at a lone house and cow shed, a footpath north-east (or, perhaps, north-west) leads to a distinct, square pine grove (note 6): Stay on the path for over a creek and up a short slope. On top of the slope, take a footpath NE that brings you well round the depression and shaft of Krem Dngiem 2 (N25°22'16.0”: E92°32'05.5” WGS84: 993 m asl). The path down through light jungle emerges near a bare doline with a sinkhole. This is Krem Niang Ju (the Rat Cave) (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73, 103). CAVE DESCRIPTION: The distinct but rather narrow sinkhole / swallet [sink in] soil and gravel bears down at n angle of about 60° [east by north-east], looks quite unpleasant but needs to be verified (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73). PROSPECTS: Apparently minimal (Arbenz, T 2008 Fieldbook: 73).