AA CAVE (Brooke 2014)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Sort of a coal mine with a natural continuation (Arbenz, T 2014.02.17 Mss: Hellie Brooke 17-02-2014 Once upon a time.doc) was noticed on 17th February 2014 due to a relatively small stream with an unidentified flow rate which disappeared into an unspecified cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation, unidentified characteristics) that gave access to a descent down a wooden ladder before traversing a pool to a small meandering dry stream passage leading to a kind of boulder breakdown chamber with a local guardian monster in the shape of a more or less HUGE spider which induced Annie U. Audsley not only to scream like a girl but also to blindly see the mere presence of the boulder breakdown chamber terminating the cave (anonymous Annie U. Audsley, Hellie Brooke, or Elena Buduran in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss: Diary Meghalaya 2014 Second Edit: 17th February, Monday). ETYMOLOGY: Neither a historical nor a currently used autochthoous or indigenous name had been identified for this cave, coal pit, sinkhole, and stream which was dubbed Once Upon a Time Cave (note 1) because Hellie Brooke (Shrewbury, Shropshire, UK) instantly took for granted that there is no local name known to outsiders (anonymous Brooke, H. in: anonymous Brooks, S J et al. 2014.04.05 Mss). SETTING: In the Mahabon forest on the Lakadong-Umlatdoh plateau and 350 m in a direct line west from the Umlatdoh village centre (N25°11'50”: E092°16'40” WGS84). SITUATION: Somewhere on a way between the cave entrances to Krem –>Rynsong and Krem –>Rynsong 2. Expedition cavers took this as a setting just outside Lakadong village in a big coal hole just across [note 2] from Krem Rynsong 2 (Arbenz, T 2014.02.17 Mss: Hellie Brooke 17-02-2014 Once upon a time.doc). APPROACH: From Ulatdoh [sic!] take the path heading south from the tea shop, soon joyning larger track continuing south. After around 5mis (at 25°11'48.2 7 092°16'29.3”) turn right and continuealong the path heading NW to a group of houses. The cave is nearby in a big coal hole (Arbenz, T 2014.02.17 Mss: Hellie Brooke 17-02-2014 Once upon a time.doc). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.04.29: A comparatively small stream way with an unidentified flow rate gives access to a dark underground leading to or causing breakdown in coal mine shaft (Arbenz, T 2014.04.29 undated Mss: Cave record overwiev 2_ 2014.xlsx). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2014.12.26: A large square hole (5 m x 5 m) with a wooden walk way down one side, a coal mine. At the bottom of the 8 m deep mine shaft cross the pool and enter a small stream passage which meanders and then stops at a boulder break down (Arbenz, T 2014.02.17 Mss: Hellie Brooke 17-02-2014 Once upon a time.doc). CAVE LIFE: The relatively huge spider noticed on 17th February 2014 may represent, but this is mere guesswork, a specimen of the locally in caves ubiquitous Giant Crab Spiders (Araneae: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropodina sp.) and, for that matter, rather a femae than male specimen. Also noticed on 17th February 2014 were snails, spiders (Arbenz, T 2014.02.17 Mss: Hellie Brooke 17-02-2014 Once upon a time.doc).e than male specimen. Also noticed on 17th February 2014 were snails, spiders (Arbenz, T 2014.02.17 Mss: Hellie Brooke 17-02-2014 Once upon a time.doc).