SNAIT, Daistong (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

What looks like a 9 m by 2.5 m rift pot … appears to take a small seasonal stream in wet weather, contains rounded gravel and constists of a small surface pot that leads to an immature stream passage that eventually becomes too narrow (Brooks 2004.04.16 Mss: Krem Snait). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi -ka snait- is a strainer (SINGH, N 1906: 206) but Brooks (2004.04.16 Mss: Krem Snait) explains a translation of the cave name, it's meaning in local language or it's origin is Not known. SITUATION: In the [Litang] valley 920 m S.S.W. of Diastong [sic! (note 1) qua: Daistong] village centre / church. From village walk to the west on an earthen track for 500 mfollowing the ridge. At this point (N25°20'22.6”: E092°34'25.4”) turn left (south-west) off the track and follow a small path down towards the [Litang] valley. After another 400 m bare S.S.E. and walked for another 600 m -- crossing the river river -- towards a notable group of trees and a very large tree. The cave is located on a smallridge on the far side of the streambed in an obvious clump of large trees.CAVE DESCRIPTION: 9 m by 2.5 m rift pot. 6 m free climb (with care) down north end. At base rift passage 0.5 m wide to west connects to adjacent pot. To east 4 m climb down enters aven 5 m Ø with shaft / rift in rock to daylight. Beyond small rift passage (0.8 by 07 m) divides and becomes progressively narrower (1.1 by 0.9 m to 0.4 by 1.7 m) until point where prpgress difficult / impossible. TACKLE: 20 m handline (minimum) needed for entrance pot. PROSPECTS: Brooks (2004.04.16 Mss: Krem Snait): This site could be pushed further by a thin team. CAVE CLIMATE: There had been an air current which was instantly identified as a good draught (Brooks, S J 2004.04.16 Mss: Krem Snait). CAVE LIFE: Bats (Chiroptera), white [pale coloured] centipede, harvestmen spiders [Arachnida: Opiliones], cave crickets.ridge on the far side of the streambed in an obvious clump of large trees.CAVE DESCRIPTION: 9 m by 2.5 m rift pot. 6 m free climb (with care) down north end. At base rift passage 0.5 m wide to west connects to adjacent pot. To east 4 m climb down enters aven 5 m Ø with shaft / rift in rock to daylight. Beyond small rift passage (0.8 by 07 m) divides and becomes progressively narrower (1.1 by 0.9 m to 0.4 by 1.7 m) until point where prpgress difficult / impossible. TACKLE: 20 m handline (minimum) needed for entrance pot. PROSPECTS: Brooks (2004.04.16 Mss: Krem Snait): This site could be pushed further by a thin team. CAVE CLIMATE: There had been an air current which was instantly identified as a good draught (Brooks, S J 2004.04.16 Mss: Krem Snait). CAVE LIFE: Bats (Chiroptera), white [pale coloured] centipede, harvestmen spiders [Arachnida: Opiliones], cave crickets.