FIFTH TIME LUCKY CAVE, 1st (aa -)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A true tunnel cave where one of the three known cave entrances (the north-north-eastern) is relatively narrow with unidentified dimensions and faces an unspecified direction. Annie-how, this cave entrance is between rocks giving onto stooping passage which, at a first glance, appears to get larger and, at a closer look, passes by an aven open to surface (Henry B Dawson 2010.02.13 survey data file: Fifth Time Lucky_01.Text) before it turns out to be emerging at another entrance (the south-southwestern) without identified shape, size or orientation (Audsley, A U 2010.02.12 Mss: Krem 5th Time Lucky). EVALUATION: Perennial sink and contributuary to the Dieng Jem surface stream (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 as if -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010- Mss). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known cave name has been identified but Annie U. Audsley or Henry Boswell Dawson fabricated the almost Khasi looking field name Krem 5th Time Lucky (Audsley, A U 2010.02.12 Mss: Krem 5th Time Lucky) an founded the base for three obvious problems, namely 1st) -krem- (noun) is a Khasi word (not English) 2nd) -5th Time Lucky- is an English phrase (not Khasi) 3rd) the -Sansien Sohkhalit Cave- is neither Khasi nor English (note 1) 4th) -Krem Sohkhalit Sansien- would be a Khasi and 5th) -Fifth Time Lucky Cave- is a plain English cave name (not Khasi) but fabricated. SITUATION: The north-northeastern cave entrance to the Fifth Time Lucky Cave lies not only at an unidentified location but also without recognised spatial relations to the nearby cave entrances of Krem –>Dieng Jem, –>Low Bridge Cave, –>Spider Ball Cave, and –>Thorn Cave. APPROACH 2010: Cross [an unidentified] the river at the dam [near an unidentified GPS position] just downstream of the 2010 camp (note 2). Follow a relatively small inlet in an unidentified direction, which joins the unidentified the river at this point (with an unidentified GPS position). After about 60 m in an unidentified direction, the stream turn sharply to the east (left), continue straight ahead in an unidentified direction. At a point with an unidentified GPS position, there is a slight depression directly in front of you, probably a pool or bog in wet season. Skirt around this on paths to its east side and there is a section of rocky stream bed [without identified size and orientation] with a drafting [daytime on 10th and 12th February 2010] entrance between boulders (Audsley, A U 2010.02.12 Mss: Krem 5th Time Lucky). APPROACH 2011: Cross the river at the dam just downstream of the 2010 Camp. Follow a small inlet, which joins the river at this point. After about 60 m the stream turns sharply to the East. Continue straight ahead. There is a slight depression directly in front of you (probably a pool or bog in wet conditions). Skirt round this on paths to its east side and there is a section of rocky stream bed with a draughting entrance between boulders (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 as if -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010- Mss). CAVE DSCRIPTION 2010: The roughly 80 m long and SW-NE aligned tunnel cave connects a pair of communicating cave entrances. Hence, one half of the fast sportsmen's class runs [upstream] SW for roughly 80 m before emerging at another entrance (Audsley, A U 2010.02.13 Mss amendment to Audsley, A U 2010.02.12 Mss: Krem 5th Time Lucky) whilst the counter-running half runs NE for roughly 80 m before emerging at the downstream entrance. The two halves of the slow sportsmen's class have not yet selected their choice. CAVE DESCRIPTION 2011: The entrance is narrow, 0.5 m by 0.5 m giving access to low passage of stooping size interpreted as seasonal drain forming a “through cave”. It runs SW for a good 60 m before emerging in an (upstream) 2nd entrance (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010- Mss). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2012: Perennial sink and contributary to the [Wah] Dieng Jem surface stream. A short seasonal drain forming a -through cave-. It runs SW for a good 60 m [i.e. 61.94 m] befor emerging in an (upstream) 2nd entrance. No further cave passage beyond (ARBENZ, T 2012: 242). CAVE POTENTIAL: Since the known part of the cave passage ends at the cave entrances, the is no further cave passage beyond (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 as if -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010” Mss). SPELEOMETRY: So far (2010 Aril 18th), the lengthwise measured distances presumably collected from the Fitfh's Time Lucky Cave vary between 61.94 m Dawson, H (2010.02.13 Mss -Fifth Time Lucky_01.Text- survey data file); Brooks, S J et al (2010.03.29 Mss: Survey summary.xls); ARBENZ, T (2012: 242) 60 m Arbenz, T (2010.04.18 Mss: Pala Positions.xls) 80 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 13th February). CAVE CLIMATE: At an unspecified time (most likely during daytime and more or less around noon or afternoon) and probably on 13th February 2010, it was Audsley (2010.02.12 Mss: Krem 5th Time Lucky) who noticed the presence of good draft throughout (note 3). CAVE LIFE: Bat, spider, harvestmen, larger spiders (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 as if -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010- Mss). emerging in an (upstream) 2nd entrance. No further cave passage beyond (ARBENZ, T 2012: 242). CAVE POTENTIAL: Since the known part of the cave passage ends at the cave entrances, the is no further cave passage beyond (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 as if -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010” Mss). SPELEOMETRY: So far (2010 Aril 18th), the lengthwise measured distances presumably collected from the Fitfh's Time Lucky Cave vary between 61.94 m Dawson, H (2010.02.13 Mss -Fifth Time Lucky_01.Text- survey data file); Brooks, S J et al (2010.03.29 Mss: Survey summary.xls); ARBENZ, T (2012: 242) 60 m Arbenz, T (2010.04.18 Mss: Pala Positions.xls) 80 m Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 13th February). CAVE CLIMATE: At an unspecified time (most likely during daytime and more or less around noon or afternoon) and probably on 13th February 2010, it was Audsley (2010.02.12 Mss: Krem 5th Time Lucky) who noticed the presence of good draft throughout (note 3). CAVE LIFE: Bat, spider, harvestmen, larger spiders (Arbenz, T 2011.10.12 as if -Annie Audsley 22ndFeb.2010- Mss).