KHUNG, Umkyrpong (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A relatively large [cave] entrance roughly 5 m wide faces an unidentified direction and leads to what is not only an accessible but also a daylight-lit part of a cave passage or rock shelter of the same width for roughly 10 m and is blocked (Audsley, A U 2010.02.10 Mss: Krem Khung). Little doubt remains Krem Khung (Audsley, A U 2010.02.10 Mss) is the same as the space-warping, if not mind-boggling, cave entrance which is 10 m long (note 1). ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi verb ”khung” has been translated by to wrap or tie up in a cloth and the noun ”u khung” (masculine) signifies the cross-beam in a house (SINGH, N 1906: 36) but the animal -ka khung- (feminine) or -u khung- (male), which is generally said to resemble a small kind of a bear (Larsing Sukhlain, Sutnga, 2000.02 personal communication) but rather looks like a much aged cross-bread between a badger and cat with a fully prehensile tail. The animal is commonly known as a binturong (Carnivora: Feloidea: Viverridae: Paradoxurinae: Arcticts binturong Raffles 1821) and spends most of his tranquil life climbing around trees. It eats mostly fruits (also carrion and fish) but does not like being eaten and raises two or three youngs twice a year (note 2). Audsley, A U (2010.02.10 Mss: Krem Khung) was told that -khung- is a kind of a bear-like creature known to use this cave as a shelter. Anonymous et al. (2010.03.29 Mss: Diary (current) 2010.doc: 10th February) mention an over-reduced Krem Blang / Krem Khung in one breath (as if it were one single cave with two cave entrances) but actually intended to two distinct caves of which one is called Krem –>Blang and the other Krem Khung. ARBENZ, T (2012: 237) fabricated the false and locally unknown cave name Krem Lum Khung to distinguish the two Khung caves, which he was aware of, from the currently (2013.08.01) nine known caves in Meghalaya, which are known as Krem Khung. SITUATION: The GPS position, which has been recorded in connection with this cave entrance, indicates a spotwhich lies at linear distances of 975 m SSE from the village of Umkyrpong (central road junction 25°26'04”N: 92°34'48”E) and 830 m WNW of the village of Kseh (St. Joseph church near 25°25’24.0”N: 92°35’32.9”E: circa 880 m). APPROACH: Leave the camp [note 3] following [an unidentified river flowing in an unspecified direction] downstream. Walk to an escarpment on the east side of a valley and follow escarpment north-east. [The] cave [entrance is a relatively] large entrance in [the] base of [an] escarpment (Audsley, A U (2010.02.10 Mss: Krem Khung [deleted] Blang). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2010: This cave was not surveyed as it commences as a relatively large entrance roughly 5 m wide and then continues at the same width for roughly 10 m and [the unexplored continuation] is blocked (Audsley, A U 2010.02.10 Mss: Krem Khung [deleted] Blang). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2012: Shallow rock shelter (Arbenz, T 2012.07.20 undated Meghalaya cave record ”Krem Lum Khung” in: XSObjectsPala.doc). CAVE LIFE: Audsey, A U (2010.02.10 Mss: Krem Khung [deleted] Blang) forwards hearsay information according to which khung, a bear-like creature [is reputedly] known to use [the unexplored dark, interior parts of] this cave as a shelter or den.ey, A U (2010.02.10 Mss: Krem Khung [deleted] Blang) forwards hearsay information according to which khung, a bear-like creature [is reputedly] known to use [the unexplored dark, interior parts of] this cave as a shelter or den.