KSEH U PRING (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Altogether six known cave entrances give access to two distinct, horizontal cave passage levels with speleothems above a stream cave passage (with waist deep water pools and noteworthy air current) which eventually connects to the upper reaches of Krem –>Risang. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi and Synteng -Krem Kseh U Pring- translates into Resinuous Pine-wood's Soot Cave as -ka kseh- is a pine tree (note 1) while -u kseh- is resinuous pine wood (SINGH, N 1906: 49) while the noun -u pring- is the soot and the adjective -pring- means black (SINGH, N 1906: 163). SITUATION 1 (Larsing Sukhlain 2002.02.17 personal communication): Approximately west but far below the Sutnga - Nongkhlieh road, about halfway between the fork to Tangnub (Tangnoob) and Shnongrim village, and in an area where an outcrop of dissected limestone was visible (February 2002) from the road. SITUATION 2 (HDG): Near the top of the Kopili Limestone below the caprock (Kopili Shales) on the western flank of the Shnongrim Ridge. To each the cave, follow grassy ridge down and into jungle balancing a blue plastic bowl filled to the brim with water on the head. A little difficult. APPROACH 1 (Sheen 2003.02.15 Mss): Follow grassy ridge down and into jungle using GPS. A little difficult. APPROACH 2 (Matthalm 2003.03.15 Mss): Walk some 15 or 20 minutes from the Shnongrim - Tongseng road (at a point 300 m south of Carlyn Phyrngap's house) towards two grass-covered spurs (the southern encloses a forest clad bay) in the south-west. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003.1: A collapse roof drops into active streamway from the surface and is free climbable. Upstream 300 m of canon passage, unroofed in places and well decorated, emerges into jungle at the swallet. Downstream two small pots follow to a 20 m pitch, from the base of which 70 m passage lead to the head of an enormous pot 60 m deep (Acoustic Pot). After descending this pitch 80 m of further passageway was surveyed --continues (Sheen 2003.02.15 Mss). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2003.2: Si distinct cave entrances (mostly daylight windows) give access to an upper cave level (on average 1.5 m in diameter, altogether 179 m long) with relativelysmall tubes (with pebble floors or exposing bare rock) and a 22 m drop into a middle level (on average 4 m high and wide, 150 m long). Here, a shaft (5 m to 6 m by 10 m to 15 m wide, 60 m deep) with an impressive echo drops into a meandering canyon passage (1.5 m wide, 8 m high) (Matthalm 2003.03.15 Mss). CAVE CONTENTS 1 (Sheen 2003.02.15 Mss): Fine accoustics in Big Rift Pot. Well decorated upstream in partially unroofed canyon passage. Fine pitches. CAVE CONTENTS 2 (Matthalm 2003.03.15 Mss): Impressive helictite speleothems. TACKLE 1 (Sheen 2003.02.15 Mss): 10 m handline for cave entrance. Rope: 20 m, 30 m, 80 m. TACKLE 2 (Matthalm 2003.03.15 Mss): 5 m ladder & 2 hangers, 50 m rope & 3 hangers, 100 m rope & 5 hangers, deviation sling. CAVE POTENTIAL - outlook (HDG): Excellent: About 4'525.3 m of unmapped cave passages, which wer -surveyed- in 2001 and 2002 to a degree pleasing tape spotters, are known to deserve competent exploration. CAVE LIFE (Matthalm 2003.03.15 Mss): Crayfish and crabs (Crustacea), spiders (Araneae: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda sp.), bats (Chiroptera indet), and crickets. -surveyed- in 2001 and 2002 to a degree pleasing tape spotters, are known to deserve competent exploration. CAVE LIFE (Matthalm 2003.03.15 Mss): Crayfish and crabs (Crustacea), spiders (Araneae: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropoda sp.), bats (Chiroptera indet), and crickets.