AMRABIANG (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A stooping entrance (WILKINSON 2001: 15) with unidentified dimensions faces an unidentified direction (presumably south) and gives access to 4 m wide by 10 m high canyon passage with seasonally sumped lower streamway (Boyes 2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Amrabeng). At one stage of recreational caving adventure, sportsmen were amazed when we got in, as it was the biggest passage we had seen all expedition (Boyes 2000.02.26 - 27 Mss: Expedition Diary). ETYMOLOGY: Krem Amrabiang seems to be named in the Amwi dialect of the Khasi language after the -am- (stream) called Rabiang (LALOO, S S 1995a, 1995b) which seem to carry in peace or again (note 1). So far, I saw the name of this cave recorded as Krem Amrabeang BOYES, P W (2000 s.a.: 5, 8, 25; WILKINSON, Paul 2000: 15); JEFFRIES (for: Jeffreys, Alan? 2000a: 29) Krem Amrabeng Boyes, P W (2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Amrabeng 26/2/00); KHARPRAN DALY, B D (2006 s.a.: 38) The Rabiang Cave LALOO, S S (1995a: 4, 1995b: 4).SITUATION: The cave entrance to The Rabing Cave … is on the outskirt [sic!] of Nongtalang village (LALOO, S S 1995a: 4; 1995b: 4) and said to lie in a forest covered surrounding at an estimated distance of only 500 m (Boyes, P W 2000.02.26 - 27 Mss: Expedition Diary) either in a direct lie or along a winding route approximately south-east of Nongtalang (note 3). APPROACH: Either by ascending or descending flights of steps, which initially lead 500 m in a southerly direction from the village square (unidentified GPS position), lead to a point with an unidentified GPS position where a faint track east off one main track can be followed for an estimated walking distance 200 m uphill to the cave entrance (note 2). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1995a: The Rabiang Cave. This cave is on the outskirt [sic!] of Nongtalang village. Large number of bats live inside this cave (LALOO, S S 1995b: 4).CAVE DESCRIPTION 1995b: The Rabiang cave. This cave is on the outskirt [sic!] of Nongtalang village (LALOO, S S 1995b: 4). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000a: The soth-facing cave entrance without identified dimensions and shape leads to a canyon passage (on average or up to 4 by 10 m wide and high) which leads visitors to a boulder choke, followed by a relatively small lake (with a comparatively small stream inlet but without obvious outlet) and more canyon passage arrives with lowering of the roof from small dangerous breakdown chambers in the approximate north-northwest. Somewhere, there is a seasonally sumped backup zone (note 4). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000b: A relatively … large canyon passage with good formations [speleothems]. At the inevitable boulder choke, Lindsay tried to climb an old bamboo ladder which gave way under his weight. Brian attempted to climb some well-cemented overhanging blocks and a handhold gave way just at the crucial moment, he fell badly breaking a rib … Paul had found a route through the choke … After wading a small lake… smoke [note 5] … A halt was called to the survey as the unstable boulder chokes were becoming a rea danger to the villagers [note 6]. On the way out, Paul spotted a low inlet and investigated. […] After some low sections in water a good-sized steam [sic!] passage was entered (Peter W Boyes, F.R.G.S 2000.02.26 - 27 Mss: Expedition Diary). Somewhere, there is a seasonally sumped backup zone at an unspecified location. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2000c: The stooping entrance to Krem Amrabeang belied an impressive entrance hall at least 20 m high and 10 m wide. After a few … 30 m legs on the survey tape we hit the standard issue Meghalaya boulder choke. Pete Boyes … indicated that a way on could be found over the top where black space was apparent. The locals [note 7] must have been there was a few rotting lengths of bamboo crafted into ladders. In the meantime while the rest of the team was working out how the overhanging section of semi-calcited choss could be scaled I was ferreting about underneath following a real belter of a draught. […] I had had about as much as a sane man could take. Face with another eight-inch [34.29 cm] Hederopoda [sic! qua: Heteropoda] wolf spider [note 8], I moved amoeba like through the teetering chopping blocks back to the relative safety of the chamber after finding a definite continuation: a perfect oval phreatic stream passage. […] The cave continued as a phreatic tube developing into a high rifty streamway passage with occasional climbable cascades for a few hundred metres continuing as a breakdown passage. […] With a survey team of six [sic!] and fewer villagers [note 9] we quickly totted up another few hundred metres of loose breakdown passage ending in yet another loose chamber with a huge, unstable boulder ruckle in the centre. […] Everywhere we went we were shadowed by lightless teenagers relying on our carbide lights. […] Eventually we managed to get rid by sitting out of the way with our lights out… This allowed us to push the only remaining lead — the stream continuation. Flat out in joint controlled rift the stream was not inviting very black with flood debris, mainly plastic rubbish, and obviously a storm drain. In the water dark pink and brown crayfish with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands obviously hungry for prey during the dry season. After a dozen or so sharp bends the rifts opened out into walking passage in solid limestone but with the inevitable boulder choke concluding the passage. With shattered nerves we closed the survey book and gingerly retraced our steps, stopping only for a brief photography session (WILKINSON 2001). CAVE POTENTIAL: Some time into surveying this cave the exploration was hindered by smoke from a bonfire at the entrance (JEFFRIES 2000a). A (terminal?) collapse chamber was considered -dangerous- (see note 3) and at least one inlet was obviously left unmapped: On the way out, Paul spotted a low inlet and investigated (Boyes, P W 2000.02.27 Expedition Diary). Additionally one should keep in mind that the Wensleydale cave encroachers' dedication to explore suffered from untnable expectations as their interest was limited to longish single passage caves and everything outside this preference was beyond their interest. CULTURAL HISTORY: Krem Amrabeng has been used as a bat hunting ground. CAVE LIFE: LALOO, S S (1995b: 4) attracts connoisseurs by narrating a tale according to which a relatively large number of bats live inside this cave (not mentioned by LALOO, S S 1995a: 4).Boyes, P W (2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Amrabeng) saw no bats on 26th and 27th February 2000 but an estimated 75 mm long white (pale) fish. WILKINSON (2001: 17) observed in the water dark pink and brown crayfish [Crustacea] with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands and interpreted the probably chemotactical attraction as indicating an appetite for passing outsiders as they were obviously hungry for prey during the dry season. very black with flood debris, mainly plastic rubbish, and obviously a storm drain. In the water dark pink and brown crayfish with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands obviously hungry for prey during the dry season. After a dozen or so sharp bends the rifts opened out into walking passage in solid limestone but with the inevitable boulder choke concluding the passage. With shattered nerves we closed the survey book and gingerly retraced our steps, stopping only for a brief photography session (WILKINSON 2001). CAVE POTENTIAL: Some time into surveying this cave the exploration was hindered by smoke from a bonfire at the entrance (JEFFRIES 2000a). A (terminal?) collapse chamber was considered -dangerous- (see note 3) and at least one inlet was obviously left unmapped: On the way out, Paul spotted a low inlet and investigated (Boyes, P W 2000.02.27 Expedition Diary). Additionally one should keep in mind that the Wensleydale cave encroachers' dedication to explore suffered from unt very black with flood debris, mainly plastic rubbish, and obviously a storm drain. In the water dark pink and brown crayfish with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands obviously hungry for prey during the dry season. After a dozen or so sharp bends the rifts opened out into walking passage in solid limestone but with the inevitable boulder choke concluding the passage. With shattered nerves we closed the survey book and gingerly retraced our steps, stopping only for a brief photography session (WILKINSON 2001). CAVE POTENTIAL: Some time into surveying this cave the exploration was hindered by smoke from a bonfire at the entrance (JEFFRIES 2000a). A (terminal?) collapse chamber was considered -dangerous- (see note 3) and at least one inlet was obviously left unmapped: On the way out, Paul spotted a low inlet and investigated (Boyes, P W 2000.02.27 Expedition Diary). Additionally one should keep in mind that the Wensleydale cave encroachers' dedication to explore suffered from unt very black with flood debris, mainly plastic rubbish, and obviously a storm drain. In the water dark pink and brown crayfish with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands obviously hungry for prey during the dry season. After a dozen or so sharp bends the rifts opened out into walking passage in solid limestone but with the inevitable boulder choke concluding the passage. With shattered nerves we closed the survey book and gingerly retraced our steps, stopping only for a brief photography session (WILKINSON 2001). CAVE POTENTIAL: Some time into surveying this cave the exploration was hindered by smoke from a bonfire at the entrance (JEFFRIES 2000a). A (terminal?) collapse chamber was considered -dangerous- (see note 3) and at least one inlet was obviously left unmapped: On the way out, Paul spotted a low inlet and investigated (Boyes, P W 2000.02.27 Expedition Diary). Additionally one should keep in mind that the Wensleydale cave encroachers' dedication to explore suffered from unt very black with flood debris, mainly plastic rubbish, and obviously a storm drain. In the water dark pink and brown crayfish with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands obviously hungry for prey during the dry season. After a dozen or so sharp bends the rifts opened out into walking passage in solid limestone but with the inevitable boulder choke concluding the passage. With shattered nerves we closed the survey book and gingerly retraced our steps, stopping only for a brief photography session (WILKINSON 2001). CAVE POTENTIAL: Some time into surveying this cave the exploration was hindered by smoke from a bonfire at the entrance (JEFFRIES 2000a). A (terminal?) collapse chamber was considered -dangerous- (see note 3) and at least one inlet was obviously left unmapped: On the way out, Paul spotted a low inlet and investigated (Boyes, P W 2000.02.27 Expedition Diary). Additionally one should keep in mind that the Wensleydale cave encroachers' dedication to explore suffered from untnable expectations as their interest was limited to longish single passage caves and everything outside this preference was beyond their interest. CULTURAL HISTORY: Krem Amrabeng has been used as a bat hunting ground. CAVE LIFE: LALOO, S S (1995b: 4) attracts connoisseurs by narrating a tale according to which a relatively large number of bats live inside this cave (not mentioned by LALOO, S S 1995a: 4).Boyes, P W (2000.02.26 Mss: Krem Amrabeng) saw no bats on 26th and 27th February 2000 but an estimated 75 mm long white (pale) fish. WILKINSON (2001: 17) observed in the water dark pink and brown crayfish [Crustacea] with turquoise eyes paddled towards our hands and interpreted the probably chemotactical attraction as indicating an appetite for passing outsiders as they were obviously hungry for prey during the dry season.