SALANG 2 (Rockcliff 2009) (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about 1 m by 1 m wide but otherwise unspecified cave entrance in base of rift faces an unidentified direction (mere guesswork: north), features either fully ignored or simply unrecognised characteristic peculiarities, and somehow leads in one way or another not only to rift but also gives access to mud / stagnant water filled passage (Hall, B E 2010.02.09 anonymous Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known cave name has been identified for the cave recorded as –>Salang Spring Cave. Apparently it was Simon J Brooks who concocted a mix of Synteng Khasi (Pnar) and English field names which include Krem Salang Sink No. 2 (AKA Snake Cave) (Brooks, S J et al. 2009.02 Mss -Diary 2009.doc- Saturday 21st) and Snake Cave (Brooks, S J 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave; ARBENZ, T 2012: 245) before declaring these creations were interpreted as an allegedly original name given that had been somehow gathered from an unidentified Headman (Umkyrpong villae headman) who (?) or, more likely, that is also known as cave where large snake lives nearby. In the process of cave name concocting, it may have been overlooked that -snake- is not a Khasi but an English word (note 1) while the Khasi -snah- means to be expert in climbing up or sitting on a tree, a rock, a horse, etc. (SINGH, N 1906: 206) as uba snah hiew dieng [he, wow!, expert in climbing up a tree] and as uba snah shong kuai [he is an expert in sitting in areaca-nut palms]. ARBENZ, T (2012: 245) had learned that the entrance to this cave was shown to caving foreigners in an area where an unidentified, fabulous or legendary, and relatively large snake lives nearby. On this occassion, ARBENZ, T (2012: 245) claimed that Snake Cave (ARBENZ, T 2012: 245) is a translation of cave name / meaning in local language or its origin (ARBENZ, T 2012 passim). This is not the case. The Khasi -sa lang- signifies affected by coagulation (literally) in the sense of blocked, constipated, etc.CULTURALHISTORY: It seems likely that the vicinity of the cave entrance is somehow associated with a woodnymph, Dryad (note 2) or Hamadryad (note 3).Rockcliff, H (2009.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang 2 Snake Cave) tried hard to avoid facing any aspect of cultural history but then, upon being confronted with the task of procuring a cave description, it suddenly occurred that an incomplete sentence burst from him, which admits having grasped something along the lines of a very big snake living in tree by cave in summer (note 4). Brooks, S J (undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave) interpreted Rockcliff as having wanted to say that an unidentified Headman (no name mentioned) had reported that a very big snake (type unknown) lives or has lived in [an unspecified] tree by entrance in summer (note 5). Arbenz, T (2009.12.30 Mss Simon Brooks 2009.06.07 Krem Salang 2 Snake Cave 07.06.2009) forwarded a tale according to which an unidentified the Um Khyrpong [sic! qua: Umkyrpong] Headman was interpreted as if he hadreported that a very big snake (type unknown) lives ( or lived) in a tree by the entrance in Summer. Arbenz, T (2010.06.29 Mss -Re ML 2010 Krem Salang- personal correspondence) had heard a story about an unidentified kind of giant snake once lived on a tree above the entrance to this cave (note 6). ARBENZ, T (2012: 245) draws the attention to outsiders to whom alone the cave is also known as -cave where a large snake lives nearby (note 7). SITUATION 2010: Arbenz, T (2010.03.31 cave distribution map: Pala_Ridge_4-10.pdf) indicates the cae entrance to Krem Salang 2 about 50 m in a direct line due south of what seems to be the double-named entrance to Krem Salang 1 (i.e. Salang Spring Cave) and Krem Wah Mytngam Extensions (i.e. again Salang Spring Cave) and opposite across a west-east draining water course. SITUATION 2009: Not only at an inexplicable location some where south of the village of Umkyrpong and above one or the other bank of a stream without identified name but also some 100m or less without orientation beyond the –>Salang Sink Cave (Rockcliff 2009.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang 2 (Snake Cave) and with fully unspecified spatial relations to the other cave entrances in the same vicinity (note 8). POSITION 2010: The latest survey data file -Krem Salang 2_01.Text- (forwarded 2010.07.19, last trip no. 1 dated 2010.02.09) states N25 25 43.3, E092 35 09.3 accuracy [sic! qua: precission] 13m from 2009 reading and probably wants to say that the blindly believed in position N25°25'43.3”: E092°35'09.3” (±13 m, unidentified geodetic datum possibly WGS84) has been simply copied from [the] 2009 reading. APPROACH 2009: From the Footbal pitch of Umkhyrpong village follow the GPS to N25°25’47.2”: E092°34’50.4” essentially diagonally across the the field from the point of entry. At this point the path forks. Take the left branch. Follow the path to a seasonal stream bed. Cross this and follow the path to reach Krem Salang Resurgence (N25°25’45.3”: E092°35’08.6”). Descend to he seasonal stream bed / gully and follow this downstream for about 150 m to the obvious entrance of Krem Salang Sink. From here follow the stream bed for about 100 m to reach the entrance of Krem Salang 2 (Arbenz, T 2009.12.30 Mss: Simon Brooks 2009.06.07 Krem Salang 2 Snake Cave 07.06.2009). APPROACH 2010: From Krem Salang Resurgence [i.e. –>Salang Spring Cave] walk [for an unspecified distance] to [an unspecified cave entrance to] Krem Salang in [what had been in February 2010 a] dry river bed [note 9]. [A marginal note says] Direction SSE [note 10] [At an estimated walking distance of] 10 m after [what once had been momentarily Bridget's private] final LH turn [note 11] break off [what once had been for a very short period Bridget's private] right for 40-50 m to find a rift (anonymous Hall, B E 2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009: An awkward access entrance (Rockcliff, H J2009.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang 2 Snake Cave) or relatively small / no obviou / awkward entrance (Brooks, S J undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010b: Conclusion after 35 m of muddy passage with stagnate [sic!] water (Anonymous et al. 2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 9th February). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2010: Entrance - wall trends N-S enter from N end. Wall to ledge 5-7m. Ledge to base 4-5m. Ledge c1m wide LHS. Descend from ledge halfway along into base and through hole in floor. Short cave filled mud or water. Lianas through roof (Hall, B E 2010.02.09 anonymous Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2012: Rift filled with mud and stagnant water. Enter from tne North end of the wall to a 5 m to 7 m long ledge about 4 m to 5 m above lower ground. The rist is about 1 m wide. Descend from the ledge halfway along into the base and through a hole in the floor. … The short cave is filled with mud and stagnant water. Lianas coming through the roof. It closes off in all directions (ARBENZ, T 2012: 245). SPELEOMETRY: Several o the lengthwise measured distances, which were collected on 9th February 2010 in connection with Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2 (anonymous Arbenz, T 2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2) resulted in numbers or metres that appear in the shape of 39.8 ±10.73 anonymous Arbenz, T (2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2); Arbenz, T (2010.04.18 Mss: Pala positions.xlsx); Brooks, Simon J et al (2010.03.29 Mss: Survey summary.xls); ARBENZ, T (2012; 245) 35 Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 9th February). PROSPECTS 2009: Rockcliff, H (2009.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang 2 Snake Cave) says going (note 10) but Brooks, S J (undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave) explains that he wanted to say good.PROSPECTS 2010: That part of the cave which is accessible to sports cavers closes off in all directions [and visiting cavers discovered] no obvious way on (anonymous Arbenz, T2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2; ARBENZ, T 2012; 245). / awkward entrance (Brooks, S J undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010b: Conclusion after 35 m of muddy passage with stagnate [sic!] water (Anonymous et al. 2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 9th February). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2010: Entrance - wall trends N-S enter from N end. Wall to ledge 5-7m. Ledge to base 4-5m. Ledge c1m wide LHS. Descend from ledge halfway along into base and through hole in floor. Short cave filled mud or water. Lianas through roof (Hall, B E 2010.02.09 anonymous Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2012: Rift filled with mud and stagnant water. Enter from tne North end of the wall to a 5 m to 7 m long ledge about 4 m to 5 m above lower ground. The rist is about 1 m wide. Descend from the ledge halfway along into the base and through a hole in the floor. … The short cave is filled with mud and stagnant water. Lianas coming through the roof. It closes off in all directions (ARBENZ, T 2012: 245). SPELEOMETRY: Several o / awkward entrance (Brooks, S J undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010b: Conclusion after 35 m of muddy passage with stagnate [sic!] water (Anonymous et al. 2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 9th February). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2010: Entrance - wall trends N-S enter from N end. Wall to ledge 5-7m. Ledge to base 4-5m. Ledge c1m wide LHS. Descend from ledge halfway along into base and through hole in floor. Short cave filled mud or water. Lianas through roof (Hall, B E 2010.02.09 anonymous Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2012: Rift filled with mud and stagnant water. Enter from tne North end of the wall to a 5 m to 7 m long ledge about 4 m to 5 m above lower ground. The rist is about 1 m wide. Descend from the ledge halfway along into the base and through a hole in the floor. … The short cave is filled with mud and stagnant water. Lianas coming through the roof. It closes off in all directions (ARBENZ, T 2012: 245). SPELEOMETRY: Several o / awkward entrance (Brooks, S J undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010b: Conclusion after 35 m of muddy passage with stagnate [sic!] water (Anonymous et al. 2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 9th February). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2010: Entrance - wall trends N-S enter from N end. Wall to ledge 5-7m. Ledge to base 4-5m. Ledge c1m wide LHS. Descend from ledge halfway along into base and through hole in floor. Short cave filled mud or water. Lianas through roof (Hall, B E 2010.02.09 anonymous Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2). DEVICE DESCRIPTION 2012: Rift filled with mud and stagnant water. Enter from tne North end of the wall to a 5 m to 7 m long ledge about 4 m to 5 m above lower ground. The rist is about 1 m wide. Descend from the ledge halfway along into the base and through a hole in the floor. … The short cave is filled with mud and stagnant water. Lianas coming through the roof. It closes off in all directions (ARBENZ, T 2012: 245). SPELEOMETRY: Several o the lengthwise measured distances, which were collected on 9th February 2010 in connection with Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2 (anonymous Arbenz, T 2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2) resulted in numbers or metres that appear in the shape of 39.8 ±10.73 anonymous Arbenz, T (2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2); Arbenz, T (2010.04.18 Mss: Pala positions.xlsx); Brooks, Simon J et al (2010.03.29 Mss: Survey summary.xls); ARBENZ, T (2012; 245) 35 Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 9th February). PROSPECTS 2009: Rockcliff, H (2009.02.17 Mss: Krem Salang 2 Snake Cave) says going (note 10) but Brooks, S J (undated 2009.06.07 Mss: Snake Cave) explains that he wanted to say good.PROSPECTS 2010: That part of the cave which is accessible to sports cavers closes off in all directions [and visiting cavers discovered] no obvious way on (anonymous Arbenz, T2010.02.09 Mss: Krem Salang 2 / Snake Cave 2; ARBENZ, T 2012; 245).