MENGGO 1 (Cave near)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A tight, scalloped crawl leads into the apparently seasonally active and estimated 50 m long first (larger one) of the two small caves found (BROOKS & SMART 1995: 48) in the lower reaches of the –>Maheshkhola Sink & Resurgence. ETYMOLOGY: No locally known name has been identified for this cave, which passing sports cavers nicknamed Maheshkhola Resurgence Cave as if the entire Rongsiang River, the Mahesh Khali (Maheshkhola) of the Bengali speaking plains people), would flow through this cave. SITUATION: At an estimated distance of 4 or 5 km along a road from Maheshkhola Bazar (N25°11': E090°58'30”) approximately north and upstream in the river valley of the Rongsiang, and probably (mere guesswork!) somewhere in the vicinity of the village of Menggo (compare –>Menggo Kol).According to A. Boycott, C.M. Smart, Harper, Rob & H. Harper (in BROOKS & SMART 1995: 49), the larger of their two Maheskhola Resurgence Cave(s) lies slightly above the resurgence, in the east bank of the dry [20thFebruary 1994] river bed and at an estimated distance of 20 m north of the smaller cave near –>Menggo 2. CAVE DESCRIPTION (BROOKS & SMART 1995: 49): Cave 1 -- A tight, scalloped crawl [note 1] leads after two metres to a two metre deep pot. From the base of this, a low passage can be followed for another 8 metres to emerge in the side of a larger passage. To the left [sic!] leads to an area of boulder collapse [note 2] with daylight entering from above. To the right [again without orientation], after 10 metres, the passage leads to a deep pool [no depth mentioned] that terminates [sic! for: leads to] after a further 20 metres in a sump.February 1994] river bed and at an estimated distance of 20 m north of the smaller cave near –>Menggo 2. CAVE DESCRIPTION (BROOKS & SMART 1995: 49): Cave 1 -- A tight, scalloped crawl [note 1] leads after two metres to a two metre deep pot. From the base of this, a low passage can be followed for another 8 metres to emerge in the side of a larger passage. To the left [sic!] leads to an area of boulder collapse [note 2] with daylight entering from above. To the right [again without orientation], after 10 metres, the passage leads to a deep pool [no depth mentioned] that terminates [sic! for: leads to] after a further 20 metres in a sump.