LAHUBON, Umat (Krang)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A funnel-shaped pothole (an estimated 20 m wide) breaches the sandstone caprock by a roughly circular mouth (about 9 m to 10 m in diameter) into the underlying limestone. So far, Krang Lahubon needs to be surveyed and mapped though it once had been bottomed by sports cavers in search of recreational adventure, who observed nothing relevant and successfully made again a rapid retreat (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002 after M. Groves, M. W. Brown, S. Diengdoh, and D. B. Harries). ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the Lakadong Khasi cave name -Krang Lahubon- has not yet been discovered (note 1). The place-name -Umat- (LATOUCHE, T H D 1890: 14) appears to combine the Khasi words -ka um- (the water, watercourse, stream) and -ka 'mat-, a contraction of -ka khmat- (the eye) to form -ka um-mat- (SINGH, N 1906: 242; BLAH, E 2007: 302) or -ka ummat- (SINGH, N 1920: 520), a tear (BLAH, E 2007: 302; SINGH, N 1906: 242; SINGH, N 1920: 520). SITUATION 2001: On the north-west side of the hill covered wit the Mohubon forest (note 2) and at an estimated walking distance of about 250 m north of Ummat village (Umat), the pothole of Krang Lahubon lies only 10 m (or so) east of the magnificent, laid stone footpath from Umat via Umlynsha to Borghat. SITUATION 2002: In the remote and somewhat spooky Lakadong area (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002) and in the edge of the jungle some distance away (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002). POSITION 2001: (±5.3 m) N25°11'23.1-: E92°15'59.8-: 793 m asl (WGS84, Gebauer H D 2001.02.24, unstable 4-channel GPS receiver). POSITION 2002: About 20 m further north and 9 m further east near (unidentified precision error) N25°11'23.8-: E92°16'00.1- (WGS84, Brown M W 2002.02.23, 12-channel GPS). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Human body disposal, either dead or alive (note 3): Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (in: JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002) narrates how Martin, Mark, Shelley and Dan (Martin Groves, Mark W. Brown, Shelley A. Diengdoh, and Daniel B. Harries) visited a second shaft whih lay in the edge of the jungle some distance away was visited. Once again this was rigged and descended and though an awesome place seemed to be ghost free [compare: Krang –>Umtngier]. On reaching the bottom though it was apparent that the spirits were only taking the day off as another rotting corpse met the startled explorer's eyes. Yet again a rapid retreat was made (note 4). the Mohubon forest (note 2) and at an estimated walking distance of about 250 m north of Ummat village (Umat), the pothole of Krang Lahubon lies only 10 m (or so) east of the magnificent, laid stone footpath from Umat via Umlynsha to Borghat. SITUATION 2002: In the remote and somewhat spooky Lakadong area (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002) and in the edge of the jungle some distance away (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002). POSITION 2001: (±5.3 m) N25°11'23.1-: E92°15'59.8-: 793 m asl (WGS84, Gebauer H D 2001.02.24, unstable 4-channel GPS receiver). POSITION 2002: About 20 m further north and 9 m further east near (unidentified precision error) N25°11'23.8-: E92°16'00.1- (WGS84, Brown M W 2002.02.23, 12-channel GPS). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Human body disposal, either dead or alive (note 3): Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (in: JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002) narrates how Martin, Mark, Shelley and Dan (Martin Groves, Mark W. Brown, Shelley A. Diengdoh, and Daniel B. Harries) visited a second shaft whi the Mohubon forest (note 2) and at an estimated walking distance of about 250 m north of Ummat village (Umat), the pothole of Krang Lahubon lies only 10 m (or so) east of the magnificent, laid stone footpath from Umat via Umlynsha to Borghat. SITUATION 2002: In the remote and somewhat spooky Lakadong area (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002) and in the edge of the jungle some distance away (JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002). POSITION 2001: (±5.3 m) N25°11'23.1-: E92°15'59.8-: 793 m asl (WGS84, Gebauer H D 2001.02.24, unstable 4-channel GPS receiver). POSITION 2002: About 20 m further north and 9 m further east near (unidentified precision error) N25°11'23.8-: E92°16'00.1- (WGS84, Brown M W 2002.02.23, 12-channel GPS). CULTURAL HISTORY - human use: Human body disposal, either dead or alive (note 3): Anthony 'Tony' R Jarratt (in: JARRATT & AUDSLEY 2002) narrates how Martin, Mark, Shelley and Dan (Martin Groves, Mark W. Brown, Shelley A. Diengdoh, and Daniel B. Harries) visited a second shaft whih lay in the edge of the jungle some distance away was visited. Once again this was rigged and descended and though an awesome place seemed to be ghost free [compare: Krang –>Umtngier]. On reaching the bottom though it was apparent that the spirits were only taking the day off as another rotting corpse met the startled explorer's eyes. Yet again a rapid retreat was made (note 4).