LYER, Tongseng (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A relatively narrow cave entrance gives access to a pothole emitting a noteworthy air current. SITUATION: Obviously in an unidentified setting at an unspecified location somewhere (note 1) near Krem –>Mulale and Krem –>Lyer in the Wah Umtyngier drainage basin on the eastern side of the Shnongrim ridge and below Tongseng village (N25°19'28-: E92°30'05” WGS84). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi noun -ka lyer- signifies the wind (SINGH, N 1906: 121). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2001: Small, incredibly strongly draughting hole which was enlarged by a small amount of digging to passable size but still awaiting exploration of the apparently 8 foot deep hole below. May be associated with the underlying Krem Umthloo system (Jarratt 2001.10.20 personal correspondence). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002.1: A 0.8 m diameter hole under tree stump with 2.3 m drop to descending, muddy passage. Dug hole on left into walking size passage. 2 m climb down to head of 8 m deep pitch. Rift below ends in boulder choked floor (Jarratt 200.02.20 Mss: Krem Umtyngier / Hairdrier Hole, Krem Lyer). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2002.2: After a fag and beer break on the surface, and a miming session to explain [to Barlis Tongseng] what we have done [surveying Krem –>Umtyngier 2], we … enlarged the incredibly strongly draughting entrance hole with a crowbar. Leaves and dirt were whistling out of the hole -- very impressive and promising. I roped up and squeezed in to reach a muddy sloping passage which soon became too tight at a choke. A boulder blocked side passage was then attacked with the trusty crowbar and soon opened up to Yorkshire Dave size. We surveyed along a walking sized passage below to reach a short climb down to the head of an 8 m deep pitch at the bottom of which a rift passage led to a short drop and boulder choke in the rift floor. The draught issued from small holes but explosives would be necessary. Very disappointing considering the promise of this site. It almost certainly connects with the main Umthloo system (Jarrtt 2002.02.20 Mss: Meghalaya Cave Log). TACKLE: 10 m rope for 8 m pitch (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.20 Mss: Krem Umtyngier). CAVE POTENTIAL 2002a: Maybe part of the Umthloo system (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.20 Mss: Krem Umtyngier … Evaluation). CAVE POTENTIAL 2000b: In prime position for major connections (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.20 Mss: Krem Umtyngier … Evaluation). CAVE POTENTIAL 2002a: Finished (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.20 Mss: Krem Umtyngier … Outlook). CAVE POTENTIAL 2002b: War-like people who despise caves subscribe to a point of view according to which … explosives would be necessary. Very disappointing considering the promise of this site. It almost certainly connects with the main Umthloo system (Jarratt, A R 2002.02.20 Mss: Meghalaya Cave Log). CAVE POTENTIAL 2002c: JARRATT & AUDLEY (2002) need explosives to progress further but in prime position for major connections. CAVE LIFE: Jarratt, A R (2002.02.20 Mss: Krem Umtyngier) deleted both Lizard and Tiger leach but recorded what looks like hetropoda (Aranea: Arachnidae: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropodina) and snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae).ropoda (Aranea: Arachnidae: Sparassidae: conf. Heteropodina) and snot gobblers (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae).