WAVUL GALGE, Wellawaya

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

This -bat cave- is obviously a good cave as it is inhabited by bats to such a degree that a regiment of troops had been stationed during the Welessa rebellion (1818) to prevent rebels from preparing nitrate for explosives from the accumulated bat guano. ETYMOLOGY: The Sinhala -wawul galge- (wavul galge) translates literally into bats' home or bats' shelter but means Bat Cave. BROHIER (1956) confirms that … the village folk to this day call the place Waul-gal-ge, which means -the rock-cave of the bats. More often than not, however, Wavul Galge was not called by its locally known name but after the near (more than 15 km distant) town of Wellawaya (N06°44': E081°06'): a cave near Wellawaya (COORAY 1967: 97; DOMRÖS 1976: 53) great cave in Lower Ouva, near Wellaway (PRIDHAM 1849, 2: 709) Nitre Cave no. 17 at Wellaway, Ouva district (DAVY 1821: 31 note) Nitre Cave, Weleway (DAVY 1821: 396, 429-430; PRIDHAM 1849, 2: 579) Nitre Cave, Wellaway (DAVY 1821: 31 note item 17; DAVY 1821 map N06°27': E081°15') Nitre Cave, Wellawaya, Uva (BROHIER 1956; DANIEL 1908) Waul-gal-ge (BROHIER 1956) Wawul Galge (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249). SITUATION 1821: DAVY (1821: 429) located this … nitre-cave … about half-way between Weleway [note 1] and Boulatwellegoddé [note 2], from both of which it is about five miles [8 km] distant. … [The cave entrance itself is] … situated in thick jungle, in the side of a hill, it is difficult of discovery and of access. SITUATION 1849: PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 579): Half way between Weleway and Boolatwellegoddé, is a nitre cave, situate in a thick jungle, in the side of a hill of difficult discovery and access. Already on the approach, PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 579) describes the landscape as if it were a typical karst scenery: From Weleway to Boolatwellegodde, in the district of Gampaha, distant about six miles, the road traverses a hilly, but not difficult country, presenting a striking contrast with the monotonous jungle behind. This country wassadly laid waste during the rebellion : the villages were deserted, and the fields suffered to become a desert. SITUATION 1908 (DANIEL 1908: 107) puts the cave in the heart of the forest and about 4 km from the Koslanda - Wellawaya road. It is formed in a band of limestone running across the hill in a SW and NE direction (south-west / north-east) and dipping by about 45° to the west. The limestone collected from the sides of the cave is made up of fairly pure good-sized crystals of limestone. It is very probable that this cave was formed before the surface features of the surrounding district were fully developed. SITUATION 1942 (BROHIER 1956): On the way down [from Upper Uva or Badulla district], a little beyond Koslanda [note 3], five contiguous, but at the present time rather desolate villages, give the name Gampaha (note 4) to this district. The nitre cave is situated on the side of a hill, in the jungle, about five miles [8 km] off the road, and not far from a hamlet called Kolonastenne (note 5). SITUATION 1974 (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249): In an elevated area about five miles (8 km) south or south-west of the village of Gampaha (N06°43': E081°02'), which itself lies about five miles (8 km) west of Wellawaya (N06°44': E081°06') and on the road (highway A4) to Koslanda (N06°44': E081°01') and Beragala (note 6). SITUATION 1984: Michael Eckrich (1984, personal communication) told me that the cave entrance to a bat cave south-west of Wellawaya (N06°44': E081°06') is reached by travelling west along the highway A4 towards Koslanda (N06°44': E081°01') and by turning off south about 3 km short of (east of) Diyaluma (N06°43': E081°02') and the Diyaluma Falls (N06°44': E081°02'). POSITION 1 (after DAVY 1821: 429): N06°43'30”: E081°04' (±2.5 km,) indicates a spot at about half the way between Wellawaya (N06°44': E081°06') and Bulatwelgoda (N06°43': E081°02'). POSITION 2 (after CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249): A pot about 5 km in a direct line (presumably equalling a travelling distance of five miles on foot or horse back) about south or south-west of the village of Gampaha (N06°43': E081°02') should lie in the vicinity of N06°41': E081°00' (Everest 1830 or WGS84). APPROACH (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249): Since the area is still a wilderness, directions should be sought from people in the village. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1821: DAVY (1821: 429) literally repeated by PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 579-580): Its mouth is comparatively small —hardly twelve feet [3.7 m] wide, and where highest, hardly high enough for a man to stand erect [perhaps 1.8 m]. The entrance is irregularly arched, and has the appearance of having been cut through the solid rock by which it is surrounded and overhung. Looking down into the cave, nothing can be more gloomy and dismal; the eye can penetrate but a little way into its dark recesses, from which a loathsome smell issues, and a dull, confused noise [of exited bats],like that of a subterranean torrent. As soon as light could be procured [note 7], we commenced the descent, each of us bearing a candle, and our people carrying either candles or torches. Having descended, through a steep, narrow, and slippery passage, about thirty feet [9 m], we found ourselves in a cave of vast size, and of such a very irregular form, that it is impossible to retain any accurate notion of it. The rugged bottom, which descends about 50 feet [15 m] is covered with fragments of decomposing rock and a thick stratum of black earth. The roof in general is too high to be visible. The walls consist either of dolomitic rock or of granitic varieties, most of them in a state of decomposition, particularly those containing a portion of calcspar … Like the nitre cave in Doombera [–>Lunugala Lena], its excavation is perhaps more artificial than natural. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1907: DANIEL (1908: 107-108): The entrance into the cave was steep, and a loathsome smell emanated from it owin to, as we later found out, damp excreta of bats … we heard a sound like that of gushing water, and I thought there was a stream flowing through the cave. But this was a delusion … The gushing sound was caused by the fluttering of thousands of bats. After descending about 30 feet [9 m] we found ourselves at the entrance of a huge hall. The sides were rugged, but the roof at this place had apparently a smooth surface. Where the bats had settled on the roof from time to time little white patches were left, which gave one the impression of a curiously patterned ceiling. There were similar patches on the sides of the cave. The roof dipped towards west, evidently along a certain weak foliation, or maybe along the junction plane of limestone and gneiss, which I could not ascertain. Huge blocks of rock had fallen down and were scattered on the floor. At other places the roof was irregular and rugged, but covered with white patches. Fine blackish dust and bats' dung lay evenly over the blocs lying on the floor, and so we had to move very cautiously. The dust in several places I found more than five feet thick and lying so loose that one might have sunk through it if one had walked unwarily. In some places it was thicker than 5 feet. It was easily disturbed, and our walking had raised quite a large amount; but it was stifling when we started digging. The number of bats here was enormous. Like a whirlwind they hovered around us. They constantly dashed against us, settling on us, one even clinging to the mouth of a cooly. Very high in the roof of some parts of the cave were funnel shaped openings communicating with the surface. Light streamed in and dimly lit up the rugged sides of these openings and the part of the cave immediately below. It gave one an impression of a deep dark dungeon only lit up from a side window from a tower high above. This, with the bats flitting aimlessly in the sombre light, made a most melancholy and gloomy impression. We crossed the hall, whichI believe is more than 200 yards [183 m] long and more than 150 yards [137 m] broad, for the further end. Here we had to climb on all fours about 20 feet [18 m], when we found ourselves at the entrance of small tunnels which opened into chambers. These appear to have been worked by man. Here the stench was overpowering. We worked up a small tunnel. It was very low and narrow, so that only one person can pass at a time in a stooping posture. The bats having perhaps no other egress from the passage dashed against us in a continuous stream. We dug in one of the chambers. By this time we finished it was simply stifling, also the heat was tremendous. So we returned to the entrance of the cave. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1942 (BROHIER 1956): Descending about thirty feet into this subterranean mystery, we find ourselves in a huge hall about two hundred feet long, and more than one hundred and fifty feet broad. The sides are rugged, water worn into strange fantastic forms, with caves, columns and grotts innumerable. The roof nevertheless, appears to have a smooth surface, except where large rocks have fallen and lie scattered on the floor. Very high, in the roof of some parts of the cave, there are funnel shaped openings communicating with the surface. Through these openings the cave apparently breathes ––but breathes very little. The atmosphere is stifling, the heat tremendous. In the vaulted chamber these openings appear merely as a very faint glimmer, sufficient only to light up the part of the cave immediately below it. In its unlit and abandoned state the cave presents rather a melancholy picture and invites eerie sensations. Nevertheless, making up our minds we proceed a little further. Our lights create fantastic patterns and fitfully illuminate the awful dark spaces all round. A pregnant silence assails us. Yes, it is a silence pregnant and full of menace, for suddenly it is broken by a low, rumbling, hollow noise, weird and unreal, sufficient to make even the boldest of usfeel a funny creeping sensation all up our backbone, to the very roots of our hair.In a moment more all is pandemonium. The gushing noise increases in volume. Out of the darkness there come hundreds, much more, thousands of winged shadows. They loom large and ghostly in the candle lights, and hover like a whirlwind around us, whipping us as they pass. When confidence returns we realize the cause of this delusion. We have penetrated deep enough to disturb the bats which in vast armies have made these gloomy recesses their abode. In token of this the village folk to this day call the place Waul-gal-ge, which means -the rock-cave of the bats.-As we cross the hall we notice that the roof dips lower and lower and the ceiling takes to-itself beautiful patterns woven by nature, in white, in an infinite variety of forms. Layers of fine black dust, and bats' dung lie evenly over the floor. However, we must tread warily for this dust, in several places, fills crevice and socket more than fivefeet deep, and lies loose enough for a person to sink through. Penetrating further, we find on the sides of the wall there are numerous tunnels which open into the main chamber. They are low and narrow, and only one person can pass into them at a time in a .stooping posture. There is sufficient to show that these tunnels must have heen worked by men.With many more mysteries in these depths left unexplored, we retrace our steps, following the thread we have left loose behind us, and return to the entrance. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1974 (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974; 1983): None. CULTURAL HISTORY - Human use: The cave sediment was exploited for nitre (saltpetre, NaNO3). DAVY (1821: 33), repeated by PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 709), gives a chemical composition of the nitre-earth from the great cave in Lower Ouva, near Wellaway: 3.3 nitrat of potash with traces of common salt and sulphat of lime, 3.5 nitrat of lime, 15.3 water, 25.7 animal matter of difficult solubility, 1.0 animal matter easily soluble in water 51.2 carbonat of lime and earthy matter. DAVY (1821: 430) suspects the cave is perhaps more artificially than naturally excavated because … it has been worked for many years by the natives, a party of whom come annualy from the neighbourhood of Passera [note 8] for the purpose of obtaining saltpetre. According to CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 247; 1983: 249), the cave was, at one time, so rich in deposits of [bat] guano … that the British stationed a regiment of troops there during the Uva rebellion, to prevent the rebels from collecting nitrate for the production of explosives. CULTURAL HISTORY - show cave: BROHIER (1956) pledges for counter-conservational cave & wildlife treatment and wonders … what of the draw the Waul-gal-ge will have on tourist and visitor, if brought within the range of a motor car, and if it is artificially purified and lit ? It is not suggested that the cave will achieve the celebrity of Jenolan, in the Blue Mountains of Australia! But doubtless it will favourably ompare with some of the limestone and other scenic caves the tourist is enticed to visit in many another country. CAVE LIFE: CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 247; 1983: 249) hints to bats (Chiroptera) and points out that the name of Wavul Galge (Home of Bats … indicates, it is inhabited by more than a few bats and, quite likely, by associated guano dwellers. Michael Eckrich (München: Zoologisches Institut, 1984, personal communication) confirmed that this is a large cave inhabited by plenty of bats (Chiroptera: Rhinolophus). 51.2 carbonat of lime and earthy matter. DAVY (1821: 430) suspects the cave is perhaps more artificially than naturally excavated because … it has been worked for many years by the natives, a party of whom come annualy from the neighbourhood of Passera [note 8] for the purpose of obtaining saltpetre. According to CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 247; 1983: 249), the cave was, at one time, so rich in deposits of [bat] guano … that the British stationed a regiment of troops there during the Uva rebellion, to prevent the rebels from collecting nitrate for the production of explosives. CULTURAL HISTORY - show cave: BROHIER (1956) pledges for counter-conservational cave & wildlife treatment and wonders … what of the draw the Waul-gal-ge will have on tourist and visitor, if brought within the range of a motor car, and if it is artificially purified and lit ? It is not suggested that the cave will achieve the celebrity of Jenolan, in the Blue Mountains of Australia! But doubtless it will favourably ompare with some of the limestone and other scenic caves the tourist is enticed to visit in many another country. CAVE LIFE: CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 247; 1983: 249) hints to bats (Chiroptera) and points out that the name of Wavul Galge (Home of Bats … indicates, it is inhabited by more than a few bats and, quite likely, by associated guano dwellers. Michael Eckrich (München: Zoologisches Institut, 1984, personal communication) confirmed that this is a large cave inhabited by plenty of bats (Chiroptera: Rhinolophus).