KHANG MASI (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

In addition to a Top Entrance (near an unidentified GPS position), which has not been traced on the surface, an approximately 5 m wide and 8 m high but impressive river entrance gives access to a break down chamber and sump (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). Compare the unidentified caving object Krem –>Synrang Langkshaih. EVALUATION: Important and prominent seasonal sink, choked with sediment and gravel. Possibly connected with Krem Khlieh Mynsngad (ARBENZ, T 2012: 244). ETYMOLOGY: The cave name -Krem Khang Masi- translates rather as Cow Barrier Cave (note 1) than as Cow Fern Cave (note 2) but was understood to mean Cave Stop Cow (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi) and the English phrase -put the cart before the horse- means to reverse the proper order or procedure of something (Oxford Dictionary 2005). The alternative name Krem Synrang Bachiat (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi) remains unexplained but represent a corruption of Krem Synrang, a Joining Cave note 3) or -Krem Synrang La Khiat-, Cave [of the] Mouse-Deer's Home (note 4). SITUATION: Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 14th February) draw the attention of the speleological world to having fabricated a circular reference according to which the Khang Masi caves are located in the so-called Khang Masi Area which is defined as the area with the Khang Masi caves which are defined as the caves in the Khang Masi area which is the area with the Khang Masi caves which are the caves in the Khang Masi area -- and so on and on and on (note 5). The so-called Khang Masi Area is said to feature … a 20 m to 40 m high ridge of limestone. Coal mines are located on the plain below the level of the limestone and one passes several small mines on the route to the area. There are outlying hills from the ridge also made of limestone (Anonymous et al. 2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 14th February). Here, the impressive river entrance of Krem Khang Masi lies about 170 m in a direct line north-east from the road junction in the southern half of the village of Umkyrpong (note 6). POSITION 2010: N25°26'45.7”: E092°35'13.5” (unidentified precision error, unrecognised geodetic datum on existing sheet? Anonymous Bridget E. Hall, undated February 2010, unidentified GPS receiver, unspecified elevation). POSITION 2009: The originally recorded GPS reading Northings [sic!] 25°26'45.1” / Easting 092°35'313.2” (Brooks, S J 2009.02.16 in: Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi) features a longitude east with more than 300 seconds instead of less than sixty. This GPS position indicates a spot at about the same place where Krem Khang Masi 1 at 749 m [asl] Brooks 2009 is indicated on the map Pala_Ridge_4-10.pdf (Arbenz, T 2010.03.31). APPROACH 2010: From Umkrapong [sic! qua: the village of Umkyrpong] go 500 m north on [a] Sumo track to [a] mining camp [note 7]. Turn north-east at lone pine tree [near an unidentified GPS position]. Pass through severalmore mobile mining camps / disused / unused open pits. From lone pine tree [it takes an] approximately 1 km [or a] 15 minutes' easy walk [in an unidentified direction] to reach [the cave entrance to] Krem Khang Masi 2 [note 8]. [Proceed] From here [in a direction kept secret for an estimated] further 5 mins (200 m) to [an unspecified] river bed, follow it for about 50 m northwards to the cave entrance (anonymous Hall 2010.02.14 Mss: Krem Khang Masi 14/2/2010). APPROACH 2009: From the football pitch [unidentified GPS positions; in Khasi: ka kyrkit, the cricket playground] at the village of Umkhyrpong (sic! qua: Umkyrpong), a 4WD track north leads to a coal mining area (N25°26'39.9”: E092°34'55”) where a footpath soon splits up in a maze of footpaths in pasture and low shrubbery. Try to follow an easterly direction to reach slightly down-sloping ground and a dry [February 2009) river bed, which leads to the impressive cave entrance of 8 m by 5 m (after Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krm Khang Masi). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2009: The impressive entrance of h8m x w5m gives access to a 120 m long entrance chamber. A partly collapsed ceiling makes it a breakdown chamber and leaves an opening to daylight, which can be reached by scrambling up a steep boulder slope. The main drag leads to a lake, the chamber getting lower to man-size and 10 m wide. The lake sumps in the far corner with no way on (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2012: The impressive entrance of h8m x w5m gives access to a 120 m long entrance chamber. A partially collapsed ceiling makes it a breakdown chamber and leaves an opening to daylight which can be reached by scrambling up a steep boulder slope. The main drag leads to a lake, the chamber getting lower to man-size and 10 m wide. The lake sumps in the far corner with no way on. Possible lead in SW corner of the entrance (ARBENZ, T 2012: 244). SPELEOMETRY: Arbenz, T (2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi) and (ARBENZ, T 2012: 244) recored a survey length of 149.40 m at a vertical range of ±10.23 m (+10.23 m / -0.00 m). CAVE POTENTIAL 2009: The waters disappearing into the Umkyrpong sink can be expected to resurge in the vicinity of N25°26'55”: E092°35'55” (WGS84 ±250 m) and above the west (left) bank of the Kopili River. The cave has no obvious way on. However, the impressive dimensions suggest different. A second look for high-level passage is suggested. Also the river bed should be followed upstream to determine the source of it (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE POTENTIAL 2010: Anonymous, perhaps Bridget E. Hall (undated February 2010 Mss: Krem Khang Masi 14/2/2010) draws attention to [A] New lead in SW corner of entrance, hole in mud boulder floor against side (W) wall. Hole about 1 m high by 3 m wide drops down [to an unspecified depth and seems to intersect a a cave passage of which one branch is an] upstream and [the other a kind of a] downstream. Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (curent) 2010.doc) confirms that Bridget E. Hall, Jean-Pierre Bartholeyns, and Roshan Singh Yengkhom (Medical Assistant, Indian Navy) refrained from attempting to survey and explore on 14th February 2010 an additional lead, a hole in the floor leading to crawls in two directions, upstream and downstream neither are looking that promising but a team in the area should complete a survey of them. CULTURAL HISTORY: None known (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi) noticed Spiders, crickets, bats resp. Arachnida (Aranea), Orthoptera, Chiroptera. The alternative cave name -Krem Synrang ba Khiat- or Cave [of the] Mouse-Deer's Home (see above: Etymology) can be interpreted to indicate the occasional presence of the Indian Chevrotain or mouse deer (SINGH, N 1906: 30), zoologically Tragulus meminna, in the sheltered entrance area of the cave.ed a survey length of 149.40 m at a vertical range of ±10.23 m (+10.23 m / -0.00 m). CAVE POTENTIAL 2009: The waters disappearing into the Umkyrpong sink can be expected to resurge in the vicinity of N25°26'55”: E092°35'55” (WGS84 ±250 m) and above the west (left) bank of the Kopili River. The cave has no obvious way on. However, the impressive dimensions suggest different. A second look for high-level passage is suggested. Also the river bed should be followed upstream to determine the source of it (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE POTENTIAL 2010: Anonymous, perhaps Bridget E. Hall (undated February 2010 Mss: Krem Khang Masi 14/2/2010) draws attention to [A] New lead in SW corner of entrance, hole in mud boulder floor against side (W) wall. Hole about 1 m high by 3 m wide drops down [to an unspecified depth and seems to intersect a a cave passage of which one branch is an] upstream and [the other a kind of a] downstream. Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (cued a survey length of 149.40 m at a vertical range of ±10.23 m (+10.23 m / -0.00 m). CAVE POTENTIAL 2009: The waters disappearing into the Umkyrpong sink can be expected to resurge in the vicinity of N25°26'55”: E092°35'55” (WGS84 ±250 m) and above the west (left) bank of the Kopili River. The cave has no obvious way on. However, the impressive dimensions suggest different. A second look for high-level passage is suggested. Also the river bed should be followed upstream to determine the source of it (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE POTENTIAL 2010: Anonymous, perhaps Bridget E. Hall (undated February 2010 Mss: Krem Khang Masi 14/2/2010) draws attention to [A] New lead in SW corner of entrance, hole in mud boulder floor against side (W) wall. Hole about 1 m high by 3 m wide drops down [to an unspecified depth and seems to intersect a a cave passage of which one branch is an] upstream and [the other a kind of a] downstream. Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (cued a survey length of 149.40 m at a vertical range of ±10.23 m (+10.23 m / -0.00 m). CAVE POTENTIAL 2009: The waters disappearing into the Umkyrpong sink can be expected to resurge in the vicinity of N25°26'55”: E092°35'55” (WGS84 ±250 m) and above the west (left) bank of the Kopili River. The cave has no obvious way on. However, the impressive dimensions suggest different. A second look for high-level passage is suggested. Also the river bed should be followed upstream to determine the source of it (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE POTENTIAL 2010: Anonymous, perhaps Bridget E. Hall (undated February 2010 Mss: Krem Khang Masi 14/2/2010) draws attention to [A] New lead in SW corner of entrance, hole in mud boulder floor against side (W) wall. Hole about 1 m high by 3 m wide drops down [to an unspecified depth and seems to intersect a a cave passage of which one branch is an] upstream and [the other a kind of a] downstream. Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (cued a survey length of 149.40 m at a vertical range of ±10.23 m (+10.23 m / -0.00 m). CAVE POTENTIAL 2009: The waters disappearing into the Umkyrpong sink can be expected to resurge in the vicinity of N25°26'55”: E092°35'55” (WGS84 ±250 m) and above the west (left) bank of the Kopili River. The cave has no obvious way on. However, the impressive dimensions suggest different. A second look for high-level passage is suggested. Also the river bed should be followed upstream to determine the source of it (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE POTENTIAL 2010: Anonymous, perhaps Bridget E. Hall (undated February 2010 Mss: Krem Khang Masi 14/2/2010) draws attention to [A] New lead in SW corner of entrance, hole in mud boulder floor against side (W) wall. Hole about 1 m high by 3 m wide drops down [to an unspecified depth and seems to intersect a a cave passage of which one branch is an] upstream and [the other a kind of a] downstream. Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (curent) 2010.doc) confirms that Bridget E. Hall, Jean-Pierre Bartholeyns, and Roshan Singh Yengkhom (Medical Assistant, Indian Navy) refrained from attempting to survey and explore on 14th February 2010 an additional lead, a hole in the floor leading to crawls in two directions, upstream and downstream neither are looking that promising but a team in the area should complete a survey of them. CULTURAL HISTORY: None known (Arbenz, T 2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi). CAVE LIFE: Arbenz, T (2009.04.09 Mss: Krem Khang Masi) noticed Spiders, crickets, bats resp. Arachnida (Aranea), Orthoptera, Chiroptera. The alternative cave name -Krem Synrang ba Khiat- or Cave [of the] Mouse-Deer's Home (see above: Etymology) can be interpreted to indicate the occasional presence of the Indian Chevrotain or mouse deer (SINGH, N 1906: 30), zoologically Tragulus meminna, in the sheltered entrance area of the cave.