RAPBLANG (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A relatively obscure cave entrance (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions) with what had been on 9th February 2013 an old fence around used to capture bats seems to face south as it opens roughly 30 m above the canyon floor on the northern side and gives access to an entrance pitch which needs a ladder as descends an unidentified depth down and leads to a tube that intersects a streamcave passage and needs a water prepared trip (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary 9th February). ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the recorded cave name Krem Rapblong (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary 8th February, 9th February) has not yet been discovered but seems to be a corrupted version of a -Krem Rapblang- or cave that helps to herd goats (note 1). SITUATION: In an unspecified location somewhere east below of the villages of Khahnar (25°23'08.3”N: 92°36'08.4”E) and Moo Knor (Moo Knor 25°23'27”N: 92°36'16”E), and aboe the orographically left bank of the Kopili River. POSITION 2013.02.09: N25 23 13.6, E92 37 00.7 (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 9th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2013.02.09: An obscure entrance, roughly 30 m above the canyon floor on the northern side … to get down the entrance pitch. A small tube heads off which gets steadily bigger to walking / stopping size, and with many formations and a steady inwards draft. This is followed, through some shallow pools, for approx 50 m to reach a T-junction. … upstream leads for only 30 m to reach a breakdown chamber with a roof of sandstone. Downstream continues, down a small climb and through some nice stooping passage for approx 100 m, with numerous shallow pools. Eventually a more demanding climb down is reached, which was free-climbed by Robin to a pool and very wet squeeze. Rob tried to find a bypass over the top, doing a little digging to make the way big enough. The draft is strong and a small stream ould be heard, but no bypass found. Eventually Rob climbed down and squeezed through the wet section. It is a body sized tube, 2 m long and has only 3” [about 10 cm] of airspace (probably only for a select few!). Once passed, he ventured on to check the cave. It continues for 15 m to reach a T-junction with the stream that could be heard. In that section paw prints in the mud, probably from a porcupine, and leaf litter in the stream indicated another entrance could be nearby. The draft goes upstream (right) which was followed for approx 20 m through crawling passage in VERY cold water. This continues easy and takes a strong draft. Left (downstream) is easy walking sized passage roughly 1 m wide and 3 m high. This was followed for approx 20 m, through some pools, and it continues nicely (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary 9th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2013.02.10: A certain Robin with Oana Chachula, Adrian Costica, and Robert -Rob- Eavis … passed the dck … and … surveyed downstream first, walking for approx. 75 m until a single boulder blocks the way … unfortunately it was unpassable. … They then explored upstream but it only went for about as far as Rob had been the day before and gets too small to pass. … The cave in total is 328 m of hard earned passage [sic! qua: survey length] (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February).CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Food source (bat hunting ground): The presence (9th February 2013) of an old fence around [the cave entrance] used to capture bats can be interpreted to indicate that the interior of the cave attracts edible bats (Chiroptera) which themselves attract hunters engaged in promoting a bat business based economy supported by bat eating customers. CAVE CLIMATE - air current: A solitary fallen boulder beyond the duck and some 75 m downstream, reduces the airspace and therefore increases the velocity of the air flow to a degree that the draft here i strong on every Sunday falling on the 10th February 2013 (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February). CAVE LIFE: Oana Chachula caught on 10th February 2013 … a nice crab and killed it by alcohol before summarizing that this cave got a very interesting flying insects, look similar with wood lice but with wings and jumping. Were many and did collected some. Personaly, I was seeing for the first time in Meghalaya’ caves. (Oana) (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February). strong on every Sunday falling on the 10th February 2013 (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February). CAVE LIFE: Oana Chachula caught on 10th February 2013 … a nice crab and killed it by alcohol before summarizing that this cave got a very interesting flying insects, look similar with wood lice but with wings and jumping. Were many and did collected some. Personaly, I was seeing for the first time in Meghalaya’ caves. (Oana) (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February).