Humming Cave (aa -)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) is said (Brown 2008.02.18 Mss: Hummingbird …) to give access to gives access to a pothole where a kind of shaft (pit, pitch) intersects a more or less horizontal and partly active stream cave passage, which generally drains towards SSW and contains swimming sections, at least one aven, a possible sump, and a so-called boulder collapse which, however, does not actually consist of a collapsed boulder but rather represents a collapsed part of cave passage, which appears to be choked with dislocated boulders. ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for this cave outsiders made up private names. Brown (2008.02.18 Mss: Hummingbird …), for example, created a Hummingbird Hawk Moth Hole (note 1) and correlated this with -Thapbalong Sim- (note 2) but gave no explanation (note 3). Brooks (2009.03.06 Mss: Overview 2009) forcesKrem Thapbalong Sim to equal Hummingbird Cave though there are no humming-birds (Macrochires = Apodiformes: Trochilidae) at such altitudes in Meghalaya (note 4) while the Khasi -ka thapbalong- is a large black butterfly (SINGH, N 1906: 224) and -sim- means bird (SINGH, N 1906: 204). Simon J Brooks & Mark W Brown (in: ARBENZ et al. 2008: 41) repeat the spelling Krem Thapbalong Sim in connection with a very interesting accumulation of 351.6 lengthwise measured metres. Arbenz, T (2008 Fieldbook: 101) introduced the three-worded spelling Thapba Long Siem which was taken up by Brooks, S J et al. (2009 Mss: Diary.doc) in February 2009 (note 5). At an advanced stage of caving, however, the English cave name -Humming Bird Cave- was translated by a German Kolibrihöhle because WINKLER, R (2010: 108) had been misled to believe that Am Eingang der Kolibrihöhle wurde ganz offensichtlich ein Kolibri gesichtet … SITUATION: The entrance to this cave has been reported to lie in the southern part of th western side of the Shnongrim ridge at three different locations, up to about 680 m apart from each other. Looking through the lens of BROWN & BROOKS (2008: 17), Krem Thapbalong Sim is one of two new caves (the other new (sic!) cave is Krem –>Shynrong Shrieh), which were discovered and explored on the south flank of the ridge in what was in his eyes a previously a blank area on the Shnongrim ridge map. POSITION 1: At an estimated 80 m without orientation from N25°17'50.8”: E092°29'27.9” (note 8) -- as M. W. Brown (2008.02.18 Mss: Hummingbird …) reports this cave entrance from a location without GPS position: A Shakti track / footpath contours from Lelad [note 7] south around 1050 m asl contour until it rejoins the road at the narrow 'saddle' [1.6 km in a direct line or about 2 km along the road] south of Tangnub. At N25°17'50.8”: E92°29'27.9” a dry stream intersects this. Following stream down circa 80 m [possibly west] leads to the top of a shaft. This, if 80 m due east rom the track, would take Thloolong Thapbalong Sim near N25°17'50.8”: E092°29'27.9” (or so). POSITION 2: Estimated 80 m without orientation away from N25°17'30.1”: E092°29'36.3 (±4.2 m): 1047 m asl --as M. W. Brown (2008.02.18 Mss: Surface mapping / reconnaissance) reports that it is this GPS position an estimated 80 m led [leo?] to Hummingbird Hawk Moth Hole. This, if 80 m due east from the track, would take Thloolong Thapbalong Sim near N25°17‘30.1”: E092°29‘33.5” (or so) and at a linear distance of 682.2 m approximately SSE (-640.3 m north, 235.3 m east) from the other position. POSITION 3: Near WGS84 N25°17'29-: E092°29'33- since T. Arbenz tells me (note 8) that M.W. Brown amended the Shnongrim Ridge map (T. Arbenz, T 2007) by adding a blackplan near these coordinates an thus at linear distances of 689 m approximately SSE (-674.3 m north, 142.9 m east) from the starting point of position 1 (Brown 2008.02.18 Mss: Hummingbird …) and 98.5 m approximately WSW (-34.0 m nort, -92.5 m east) from the starting point of position 2 (Brown 2008.02.18 Mss: Surface mapping / reconnaissance). APPROACH: Brown (2008.02.18 Mss Surface Mapping / Reconnaissance sheet): Following the path from Lelad on the West side of the [Shnongrim] ridge, heading south, which more or less follows a 1050 asl contour (GPS), the following stream beds are crossed 1, 2, 3, 4. (dry today) Following downstream from 4, an est 80 m led [lead? leads?] to 'Hummingbird Hawk Moth Hole' Point where Shaktiman track joins road was GPS 6. From 2 following streambed down ca. 150 m leads to a shaft (Early Morning Pot) No north east EPE asl note 1 N25°18'05.4”: E092°29'31.4” ±3.7 1065 m streambed 2 N25°17'51.8”: E092°29'31.1” ±4.8 1053 m streambed [150 m from Early Morning Pot] 3 N25°17'42.9”: E092°29'30.7” ±3.6 streambed 4 N25°17'30.1”: E092°29'36.3” ±4.2 1047 m streambed 5 N25°17'50.8”: E092°29'27.9” ±4.3 shaft [80 m from Hummingbird … Hole] 6 N25°17'22.2”: E092°29'56.5” ±.5 road CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001.1 (Brown 2008.02.18 Mss: Hummingbird …): None (note 9). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001.2: Both Krem Thabalong Sim (i.e. –>Humming Cave) and Krem Shynrong Shrieh (i.e. –>Monkey Skull Cave) contain sections of trunk passage (BROWN & BROOKS 2008: 17). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009: According to Robert Winkler (2009.02.15), there is one passage in this cave, which is known to lead after 40 m to a sump: It is almost sure that this way leads towards Krem Knai [i.e. –>AA CAVE, Tangnub 2008-01, a.k.a. Krem Khnai]. Another questionmark further downstream was followed for about 35 m. This lead is not bad, a bit crawling around big boulders but seems to be only a bypass of the main passage but another trip to this area would be good before exploring this part of the cave is given up (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Sunday 15th). SPELEOMETRY: Brown et al. (2008 Mss: Survey Summary.xls) recorded from K. Thapbalong Sim; map square: Umte; survey 2008 not only one 22.02.0 MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (noth) with a very little stream (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Saturday 7th Feb 2009). MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (no MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (no MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (no MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (no MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (no MB, AV, HR, LK 157.99 but also 23.02.08 IF, JW, MT 193.66 adding up to total: 351.65; vertical: 128.52 (probably metres?). Brooks & Brown (2008.02.29 Mss -Overview- undated) announces large sections of trunk passage and Krem Thapbalong Sim is currently 351.6 m in length and ongoing. The 2008 survey data Thapbalong Sim_01 list a survey length of 913.17 m at a vertical range of 134.56 m (+0.00 m/-134.56 m). According to Arbenz, T (2010.01 HummingMonkeyPlan_1000.pdf dated 26.2.008 // 18.2.2009), the combined Humming Monkey System (i.e. Krem Shynrong Shrieh at 2833.2 m / - 141.72 m and Krem Tapbalong Sim at 2928.82 m / -141.72 m) is 5762.02 m at a vertical range of 147.72 m (+0.00 m / -141.72 m). CAVE LIFE: Torben Redder, Robert Winkler and Vikram Singh Kirola (Indian Navy, Leading Seaman) noticed on Saturday 7th Feb 2009 the presence of -snot gobblers- (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae) near the survey station 3/19 in a little passage coming inside from the left (noth) with a very little stream (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Saturday 7th Feb 2009).