LAR IH 1 (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The first out of the three known cave entrances, which give access to the first cave called Krem Lar Ih, is suspected to function as a seasonal sink that drains a seasonal, locally south-west to north-east flowing stream from the surface into a rift cave entrance (1.2 m wide, 2.5 m high, facing north-west) where a descent drops 5 m vertically down (note 1) into a relatively narrow cave passage (on average 1.2 m wide and 1.8 m high), which seems to be perennially moist (note 2) and contains the horizontal bed of a perennially active stream which, however, soon disappears in an inexplicable way from the view (modified after Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011; Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc). Passing by this fully uninvestigated sink, the cave passege continues and ascends gradually to an upper level cave passage, where it passes by one Entrance 2 gully (Arbenz T 2011.08.20 LahrIh1plan.pdf), which is the Krem –>Lar Ih Entrance 2 gully, and proceeds generally west to an area where 1st) the floor is downed under water, 2nd) the ceiling houses a bat roost with an estimated 100 individuals, 3rd) turns clockwise towards south-west, and 4th) merges with the meandering cave passage, which enters and descends from Entrance 3 (Arbenz T 2011.08.20 LahrIh1plan.pdf), the third known cave entrance (Krem –>Lar Ih 1.3) represented by a 4 m wide and 7 m high daylight aven (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011). The cave contains not only unspecified secondary calcite deposits (speleothems) but also sand and rounded gravel (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011) that can be interpreted to testify either a kind of seasonal drainage or an abandoned fluvial activity. ETYMOLOGY: No specific cave name has been identified for this cave, which was christend Krem Lar Ih because the area is called Lar Ih (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K.Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011) or, apparently, something along the lines of ripe omen or clear [month of] August (note 3). SITUATION: All of the three known cave entrances to Krem Lar Ih 1 lie in unidentified spatial relations to several cave entrances in a closure called Lar Ih (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011), which lies east of the village of Kseh (St. Joseph church near 25°25’24.0”N: 92°35’32.9”E: circa 880 m) but opposite across the Kopili and not only above the orographically right bank of the river but also in a terrain officially falling into the North Cachar District (Assam). APPROACH (identical with the approach to Krem –>Lar Ih 2): To reach the first cave entrance to Krem Lar Ih 1 from the village of Kseh (St. Joseph church near 25°25’24.0”N: 92°35’32.9”E: circa 880 m) from the jetty (25°25'49.1”N: 92°36'15.1”E: 717 m) on the orographically left (locally western) bank of the Kopili River (26°15'N: 92°10$*E) and about 1.5 km in a direct line ESE from the village of Kseh, cross the river by boat (ask a briew lieng, in short: 'riewlieng; boatman) for the opposite, orographically right (locally eastern) bank and proceed for an unspecified walking distance along a … foot path in a straight line towards east. At the first junction [at an unidentified GPS position] turn left [in an unidentifified direction]. The path goes [for an unspecified walking distance] first downhill and then [for an unspecified walking distance] uphill into [an unidentified] the next valley (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011.02.23: Narrow meandering stream cave - average dimensions: w1.2m x h1.8m for a lengh of 205 m [sic!]. Then the passages gets low, to crawling size. The low part goes on for another 100 m and comes to an exit in an open pit (w4m x h7m) at a GPS position of N25°26'20.4”: E092°36'46.6” (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Dal 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011.02.22: A narrow meandering streamway gains after a walking distance of 250 m (sic!) the survey station 1/41 on a rock on the floor at which point the ultrasuperhigh precision grade Xc survey (Arbenz T 2011.08.20 LahrIh1plan.pdf) was abandoned as the pencil was spent and no sharpener was available. Beyond is a Bat Chamber, after which a crawl appears to continue (Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: Tuesday 22nd February 2011). TACKLE: It has been recommended to bring a 5 m ladder if entry is planned through the pitches at either end (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011). PROSPECTS: Selected aspects of a preliminary topographical survey of the known parts of this cave was completed on 23rd Feb 2011 (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss). SPELEOMETRY: The total length of the cave [survey] was 349 m (Cdr. Vijay Chhikara and Oana Chachula in: Arbenz, T. et al. 2011.03.27 unated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: Wednesday 23rd February). CULTURAL HISTORY: None known (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011) reported that Brian D Kharpran Daly (more likely: Oana Chachula) had noticed in February 2001 not only a day roost with an estimated 100 individual bats (Chiroptera conf. Hipposideros, conf. Rhinopholus) but also unspecified spiders [Aranea: Arachnida], crickets [Orthoptera], snot gobblers [larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae], bufo [toad], millipeds [Myriapoda]. 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011.02.22: A narrow meandering streamway gains after a walking distance of 250 m (sic!) the survey station 1/41 on a rock on the floor at which point the ultrasuperhigh precision grade Xc survey (Arbenz T 2011.08.20 LahrIh1plan.pdf) was abandoned as the pencil was spent and no sharpener was available. Beyond is a Bat Chamber, after which a crawl appears to continue (Arbenz, T et al. 2011.03.27 undated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: Tuesday 22nd February 2011). TACKLE: It has been recommended to bring a 5 m ladder if entry is planned through the pitches at either end (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011). PROSPECTS: Selected aspects of a preliminary topographical survey of the known parts of this cave was completed on 23rd Feb 2011 (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss). SPELEOMETRY: The total length of the cave [survey] was 349 m (Cdr. Vijay Chhikara and Oana Chachula in: Arbenz, T. et al. 2011.03.27 unated Mss: 2011 Diary.doc: Wednesday 23rd February). CULTURAL HISTORY: None known (Arbenz, T 2011.03.27 Mss).CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2011.03.27 Mss: Brian K. Daly 23st Feb. 2011 Krem Lar Ih 1, 22.2.2011) reported that Brian D Kharpran Daly (more likely: Oana Chachula) had noticed in February 2001 not only a day roost with an estimated 100 individual bats (Chiroptera conf. Hipposideros, conf. Rhinopholus) but also unspecified spiders [Aranea: Arachnida], crickets [Orthoptera], snot gobblers [larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae], bufo [toad], millipeds [Myriapoda].