Belfry Bulletin Number 087

BB87/2 A Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all our members wherever they may be. ********************************************* A List of Lantern Slides offered on loan. by R.M. (Pongo) Wallis.

The following is a complete list of the slides etc., which I posses, up to March 1954, and which are of caving subject. All are 2”x2” size. I am prepared to make these available to club members who wish to borrow them for a specific purpose (other than giving themselves a film-show) provided that they adhere to these conditions: 1. ) They should send me not less than one week in advance a list of slides they which to borrow, the date when they require them and 1/- postage.

2. ) The borrower shall be responsible for the slides whilst they are out of my possession and shall pay for broken cover glasses etc.

3. ) The slides shall be returned to me by registered post as soon as possible after they have been used.

Colour transparencies are marked in the list by (c). They are mostly of a higher quality than the blackand-white slides which have been made in the main from rather old negatives.

OGOF FFYNNON DDU. c. Double Pot Chamber. c. Pye Chamber. c. The Traverse. c. The Cathedral. c. Piccadilly Circus. c. Formations in Starlight Chamber. c. Starlight Chamber. c. Stalactite in Toastrack System. c. Upper Toastrack. c. Gypsum-covered Stalactites. c. Rawl Series – Straws (2 slides). c. The Rising. c. Traverse Passage. c. Streamway in low water. c. Chain ascent to Lowe’s. c. Passage to Eagle’s Nest. c. Coral Pool Passage. c. Traverse Pass. – Coral Pool Pass Junction. c. The Column. c. Column off Entrance Series. c. Toastrack Passage. c. Large Chamber nr, Pillar Chamber.

PANT MAWR POT. Entrance Pitch.

Erratics in Meander Pass.

Cascade in Meander Pass.

PORTH-YR-OGOF. c. Dinghy on River.

LLWCHWR. c. Dinghy on River. c. Stream at end of cave. c. Ladder down to stream.

SUNDRIES. Browne’s Hole (2 slides) Ife Hole (1 slide) Rod’s Pot (1 slide) Eastwater Cave (1 slide) LANCASTER HOLE. c. The Colonnade. c. The Graveyard (2 slides). c. Bottom of Entrance Pitch.

BB87/3 UPPER EASEGILL SYSTEM. c. Upper Main Drain. c. Main Drain. c. Forked Pendant at Eureka Junction. c. Stream Way at Holbeck Junction. c. Gypsum Cavern (4 slides).

DAN-YR-OGOF. Dinghy on Third Lake.

Formations in Wigmore Hall.

Formations at end of ‘Tube’.

GB CAVE. Upper Grotto (2 slides).

Helectites in Upper Grotto.

Main Gorge (7 slides).

Roof over the Bridge.

Formations over Gallery.

White Way (3 slides).

YONDAS CAVE. c. Pulpit. c. Waterfall.

GUNNERSFLEET CAVE. c. 1 slide.

SWILDONS HOLE. c. Old Grotto.

Old Grotto (2 slides). c. Ladder down to stream.

Entrance to Water Rift.

End of Wet Way. Barne’s Loop.

Tratman’s Grotto.

DERBYSHIRE Various mines etc.

NORTH WALES. c. White Quarry Cave. c. Gop Cave (2 slides). c. AFM Cave. c. Llandulas Cave-mine.

WOOKEY HOLE. 1st. Chamber.

The Witch.

St. Michael’s Mount.

Ditto – Jointing.

ABOVE GROUND. c. Brant’s Gill Head. c. Hull Pot. c. Pen-y-Ghent. c. Gordale Scar (2 slides). c. Malham Cove. c. Keld Cove. c. Typical Caver.

Various maps, diagrams etc. *************************************

A Visit to North Pennine During August. by Jack Whaddon.

On the Saturday preceding August Bank Holiday Norman Petty and myself set up camp at Bull Pot Farm, Kirby Lonsdale, preparatory to spending a week getting rid of surplus energy beneath the Pennines.

Sunday was spent in viewing the lie of the land in the Leck Fell and Casterton Fell areas. The bed of the stream at Easegill provided numerous interesting examples of the powers of erosion of moor land stream when in flood. Some time was spent exploring the small caves in the vicinity of Witch’s Cave and Leck Beck Head. On the way back to camp, Hidden Pot was descended - a not too difficult rock climb without the 40ft. ladder recommended in ‘Pennine Underground’. Small Cave, which is reputed to connect with Bull Pot of the Witches was next descended, but was found to choke after about 45 feet.

We joined a party from Red Rose Club on Monday, and spent some time in Lancaster Hole. After the 110ft. entrance pitch had been climbed we entered the ‘Graveyard’, a large chamber filled with stalagmite columns, also saw the ‘Colonnades’ – a cluster of beautiful pure white stalagmite pillars 12 feet high. We looked at Fill Pot on the way out; plans were afoot to enter the Master Cave, but excessive rain ruled that out, A very enjoyable evening was had by all at the ‘Wheatsheaf’ at Ingleton afterwards, despite an untimely raid on the premises by ‘the men in blue’.

BB87/4 Having read about Pikedaw Caverns in ‘Underground Adventure’, both Norman and myself decided on Tuesday to visit these caverns, which were discovered during mining operations in the last century. The 70 foot shaft was found in an area of gruffy land above Malham Tarn, which was reached after a long pound up from Stockdale. The caverns consist of a series of very wide, more-or-less co-planar passages, the roofs of which exhibit evidence of pure solutional origin. The calamine (zinc carbonate) was apparently mined beneath a stalagmite floor which overlays a partial clay refill. In the Western end of the system, solutional hollows in the roof were seen to be covered by a stalagtitic deposit of azurite (blue carbonate of copper) this in turn being overlaid by a thin sheet of malachite (the beautiful green basic carbonate of copper). Fragments of calamine adheres to the roof at the joint; thus the whole provided a polychromatic example of successive materialisation within a lode.

Wednesday was an exceedingly fine day, so we operated with the Red Rose boys in the descent of Alum Pot main shaft (165ft.) followed by a severe wetting in the Upper Long Churn and Lower Long Churn, the bare rock floor of these two caves being interesting on account of the scalloping over the entire length.

Weathercote Cave, in Chapel-le-Dale, was visited next. Here a large volume of water hurtles down a high waterfall at the bottom of which is a pool and a boulder ruckle. Here two of us found a way into a bedding plane, fairly wide and low, which was obviously subject to frequent flooding. Crawling on hands and knees in the strong current of the powerful stream was necessary here – a painful operation due to the scalloping on the floor. After a couple of hundred feet, during which we had been more or less immersed in icy water, we came to a sump, which is possible of considerable length, and then we returned to the surface.

Steady light rain was falling on Thursday, so plans to descend Jockey Pot (200ft. daylight ladder pitch) were shelved. Instead we had the co-operation of the Red Rose boys in a visit to Gaping Ghyll. We descended via Bar Pot – and awkward 50ft. ladder pitch, followed by a very nice but damp 120ft. ladder pitch. After crawling some considerable distance though a maze of pebbled floored passages reminiscent of Mendip, we finally entered the Main Chamber of G.G. – a most spectacular sight with a line of waterfalls caused by the day’s rain along the length of the roof. We took a look at the East Passage and Mud Hall, but had insufficient tackle to descend into the latter.

Friday and Saturday were spent a look around White Scar Show Cave and numerous resurgences in the Godsbridge area. Yordas Cave was visited, and we viewed Keld Head, a large rising nearby. We summoned up enough energy to walk over to Thornton Force, a large waterfall, where in the exposed cliff we were able to see a well-known unconformity. Here we found a narrow conglomerate bed marking the point at which the lowest beds of the carboniferous series lie unconformably on the eroded strata, believed to be PreCambrian. The pebbles in this conglomerate represent the initial deposit on the bed of the sea which encroached upon the British Isles at the beginning of the Carboniferous era.

At Clapham Cave sometimes known as Ingleborough Cavern, we found the guide most co-operative.

Access to the non-tourist sections of the cave is freely available to genuine cavers, providing, of course, a healthy respect for formations is maintained. Both at the entrance to the cave and the nearby Clapham Beck Head are large deposits of tufa from the stream.

We returned to the Mendips on the Sunday, after a thoroughly enjoyable week during which we had the generous co-operation of the Red Rose boys and their excellent electron tackle. It is hoped that in the not too distant future we will be able to arrange another visit to the north.

Jack Waddon. ********************************************* ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN by ????????(J.V. Menace Morris I believe Ed.) To those of you who never have been caving or climbing ‘prang’ the thought of having one yourself seems very remote. However they do happen and your party may be involved.

Most people have a rough idea of what to do in such an emergency, but how many know what NOT to do?

BB87/5 The main thing to remember is whatever the injury or condition, treat for shock. The major point of this treatment is warmth. Therefore as soon as possible the victim should be got into dry clothes and wrapped in blankets with hot water bottles. Warm sweet drinks should be given, if the victim is conscious but on no account should liquids be poured into the mouth of an unconscious or semi-conscious man as the danger of choking is very great. On NO account give alcohol. Most people believe that Whiskey, Brandy or Rum has a beneficial effect on an injured person. This is a fallacy, because although it is a stimulant, it is altogether harmful. It increases shock and lowers body temperature, at the same time giving a false impression of warmth. This is exactly what one is trying to avoid. The best drink to give is hot coffee sweetened with plenty of glucose. While help is being sought and first aid gear obtained do NOT leave the victim alone.

Huddle close to him to give him warmth. Apart from this, the mental effect on an injured person left alone is very bad.

If the victim is in great pain and emergency ampoules of morphia are obtainable; one ampoule (Omnopon 1/3 grain) should be injected into the leg or arm every three hours. Those ampoules are simplicity itself to use and are quite safe if used as stated. However if the victim has severe head injuries or suspected internal haemorrhage, morphia should NOT be given without the advice of a doctor.

Now to deal with the commonest of caving dangers – exposure. This is even more dangerous as it is insidious and the victim may not realise that he is suffering from it until it is too late. Before I deal with the symptoms and treatment, I would definitely state that prevention is better than cure.

Our more scientific minded members have done wonders with the perfection of tackle and safety devices; all credit to them, but how many give due consideration to food & clothing? There seems to be a mistaken impression that any old clothes will do for caving!! In every case warm suitable rig should be worn, with wool next to the skin, which even when wet will give a ‘warm water insulation’.

As regards diet, for a long time now the main idea has been to have a good ‘blow-out’ before and after the intended trip. I am quite convinced that this is misguided and dangerous. In both cases the digestion is not given a chance to function correctly, firstly through undue exertion and secondly from fatigue. A light but nourishing meal should be taken before the trip and a supply of food taken down the cave. There are many suitable foods available: - Chocolate; Vita Glucose tablets; Biscuits; Cheese, and even self-heating tins of soup etc.

Should a case of exposure arise the symptoms are manifold. The main ones however are extreme fatigue, and in serious cases a feeling of drowsy warmth under extremely cold conditions. The victim will probably rapidly become worse, showing an inability to move or concentrate. In very severe cases he may drop off to sleep. At all costs he MUST be kept awake, as this sleep will rapidly deteriorate into unconsciousness & maybe death. It is therefore essential that the leader keeps an eye on his party under bad conditions, and keep the weaker members near him.

If this condition does arise the impulse to rush out of the cave should be curbed. Help should be sent for, treat for shock and the victim treated as an accident case also. The death through exposure in A.G. Pot will bear out this statement.

It must also be borne I mind that people in the initial stages of exposure are liable to accidents by falling and carelessness with tackle, owing to their inability to concentrate.

Having dealt with exposure I will continue with the more common injuries, their diagnosis and emergency treatment in the next issue.

J.V.M. (to be continued) ************************************* Do YOU know the correct procedure to follow in the event of someone requiring the services of the Mendip Rescue Organisation?

BB87/6 Bats The following article has been culled from ‘World Science Review’ and submitted by C. (Spike) Rees.

Navigation The bat is the only mammal that flies. In flight, it has a remarkable ability to avoid obstacles in total darkness.

It has been found by experiments with captured bats that when blindfolded they can avoid obstacles with the same ease as those having full use of their eyes. Bats with plugged ears, however, blunder hopelessly into objects that were easily avoided when their ears are functioning.

Strange Sound in Flight It is known that bats emit strange cries when in flight. They are inaudible even through an ordinary microphone, and are far beyond the range of the human ear. These cries are not to be confused with other audible cries that are frequently heard by cavers. These cries have been detected by a special high-frequency amplifier tuned to 25,000 cycles per second. A young, sharp, human ear can detect sounds up to about 15,000 cycles per second.

The sound made by a bat is a series of very short clicks, each click being a bundle of ultrasonic energy.

Each of these sound pulses last only about 1/100th. of a second. Griffin and Galambos, two Harvard scientists, discovered, a few years ago, that the repetition rate of these pulses is variable. For flight in the open with few obstacles, there might be as few as five pulses per second. As an obstacle is approached, there is a change in rate, increasing to sometimes 60 per second.

The pulses start as a bat prepares for flight, and continues until he lands again. It has also been found that if a bat’s mouth is tied so he cannot emit a sound, he cannot avoid obstacles.

All this is conclusive proof that a bat is guided in flight by echo’s of its own signals. In other words, he has some kind of radar set. Man’s radar takes a great deal of equipment and a crew to operate it; the bat carries it in his very small head.

It is also a remarkable thing that large numbers of bats flying together can operate their’ radars’ without interfering with each other’s. This is especially remarkable in the confined space of a deep cave, such as many bats dwell in. A similar number of radar stations operating together would be in hopeless confusion.

Firstly, it seems that there is some kind of distribution of frequencies amongst a colony of bats.

Secondly; this high frequency sound energy is highly directional. Thirdly, the perception of echoes from other bats would not have the order that echoes for any one bat would have with respect to his own outgoing pulses. Fourthly, there is a limited range of effectiveness of this high frequency sound. All these complex factors are involved in the intricate design and effective use of the bat’s echo-locating apparatus.

C.B. ******************************************** Notice.

Included with this issue will be found a ballot form for the 1955 Committee. Please complete this form and return it in the envelope provided, to Assist. Hon. Sec., 55 Broadfield Road, Bristol. 4., to reach him not later than Friday, Jan 26th. Or hand it in at the start of the Annual General Meeting.

No resolutions have yet been received for inclusion on the Agenda for the A.G.M. The final date for handing in resolutions will be Monday 16th. January. These should also be sent to the Assist. Hon. Sec. at the address above. Any resolutions received after this date will have to be raised under A.O.B. at the A.G.M. Don’t forget to reserve your ticket for the Annual Dinner. Entertainment in the form of a Conjuror and a Comedian will be provided. A coach will be available for up to 30 persons at approx. 3/- a head.

BB87/7 The index to the BB included in this issue of the BB has been complied by R.M. (Pongo) Wallis.

Members will find it’s most useful for reference. Very few back numbers of the B.B. are available, but a complete file is in the possession of the Editor and is available for reference at any time, although he regrets that he cannot allow the file to be borrowed. A similar file is in the Club Library and this, of course is readily available to all, under the normal Library rules. John Ifold will be only too pleased to let you have it.

Incidentally the Club Library is, without doubt, amongst the finest of it’s kind in the country, and it seem a pity that more club members do not make use of it’s facilities.

T.H.S. *************************************** Members will remember that in the past we have printed, from time to time, various kinds of songs that are popular with cavers and climbers. Here, then, is another: John Riley If you want a good companion, boys, John Riley is his name.

In fair or stormy weather, boys, John Riley’s just the same.

His heart is like a mountain And his honour you cannot buy, But when he’s bending his elbow, boys, John Riley’s always dry Chorus.

Buys his ale by the pail.

He’ll order Susannah to go out and buy Dublin Stout, Then cry out, Drink Whiskey and never go dry, Rye Whiskey, wine, gin and lime.

He’ll knock back a double and then he will cry, Mary Anne. Fill your can, For your honour John Riley is dry, Oh so dry.

‘Tis early every morning, boys, When he gets out of bed, You’ll find no feather bolster, boys Lies under Riley’s head.

But when the sun is shining So eager and yet so shy, He’ll leap right out for his Dublin Stout, For your honour John Riley is dry.

Chorus.

Buys his ale by the pail.

He’ll order Susannah to go out and buy Dublin Stout, Then cry out, Drink Whiskey and never go dry, Rye Whiskey, wine, gin and lime.

He’ll knock back a double and then he will cry, Mary Anne. Fill your can, For your honour John Riley is dry, Oh so dry.

BB87/8 I hold my father said to me, When I was but a youth: That all the other Riley boys, They died of Whiskey, truth.

It is a strange misfortune boys, But a fact you can’t deny, That when the wine is flowing. Boys, That Riley’s always dry.

Chorus.

Buys his ale by the pail.

He’ll order Susannah to go out and buy Dublin Stout, Then cry out, Drink Whiskey and never go dry, Rye Whiskey, wine, gin and lime.

He’ll knock back a double and then he will cry, Mary Anne. Fill your can, For your honour John Riley is dry, Oh so dry.

A.C.J.

************************************* Hon. Editor T.H. Stanbury, 48, Novers Park Road, Bristol. 4.

Hon. Gen. Sec. R.J. Bagshaw, 56, Ponsford Road, Bristol. 4 Hon. Assist. Sec. K.C. Dobbs, 55, Broadfield Road, Bristol. 4. ************************************** In pursuance of the much needed tidying campaign at the Belfry, will all users of this establishment please note that in future, in addition to any duties, the Hut Warden may detail them for, they are also requested and required to do their own tidying up IMMEDIATELY after using the utensils.

The strength of these requests lie in the fact that the double scale of charges allows the Hut Warden the higher price to those who do not do their fair share. ____________________________________ _______________________________

You will find included a leaflet appertaining to ‘The Balch Testimonial Fund’. In view of Mr. Balch’s connections with caving the Committee asks members to support his fund. Donations please to the Hon. Sec., 56, Ponsford Road, Knowle, Bristol. 4. ____________________________________ _______________________________ ________________________ The Coach to Wells for the Annual Dinner will definitely run. Requests for seat reservations and dinner tickets to the above address ____________________________________ _______________________________ ________________________ In hope of stirring the ‘literary’ type into action for articles for the B.B., the reward for any items printed will be one free Belfry night or two at Redcliffe. ____________________________________

BB87/9 INDEX TO BELFRY BULLETIN JANUARY 1947 To DECEMBER 1953 Numbers in the index refer to Bulletin Numbers and not to pages.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

January 47 March 47 April 47 May 47 July 47 September 47 October 47 December 47 January 48 March 49 May 48 June 48 July 48 August 48 September 48 October 48 November 48 December 48 January 49 February 49 March 49 April 49 May 49 June 49 July 49

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46/47.

48.

49/50.

51.

52.

August 49 September 49 October 49 November 49 December 49 January 50 February 50 March 50 April 50 May 50 June 50 July 50 August 50 September 50 October 50 November 50 December 50 January 51 February 51 March 51 April/May 51 June 51 (Not issued) July/August 51 November 51 December 51

53.

54.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.

63.

64.

65.

66.

67.

68.

69.

70.

71.

73.

73.

74.

75.

76.

January 52 February 52 March 52 April 52 May 52 June 52 July 52 August 52 September 52 October 52 November 52 December 52 January 53 February 53 March 53 April 53 May 53 June 53 July 53 August 53 September 53 October 53 November 53 December 53

The index includes the main articles appearing in the ‘B.B.’ only. All minor items of news &c. are omitted and most nome de plum is omitted from the Author Index.

Prepared by R.M. Wallis, 1954

BB87/10 SUBJECT INDEX --C--

--A-A.G.M. -----------------------------

1 Cameroon, Mt. 8 18 Caves, Rhodesian 32 54 Caving, Above Ground --------- in Germany 53,54 --------- how to talk --------- Techniques, French 56 --------- This

1946 1947 1948 1949 1952

August Hole Aven d’Orgnac Aven-Grotte de Marzoll

42 Ceriog Caves

21 22 5 22 58 22 73 29

Chalk Mine, Springwell

11

--B-Climbing Section Bats

Crystal Pot B.E.C., History of

3, 27

Belfry, Building a

52,63,64, 65,66

Black Mountains

41,42,43

67 37

--D-Dating Radio, Carbon

67

Dewar Stones Climbs

65

65

Books Britain Underground ,Thornber

75

Caves of Adventure, Tazieff

78

400 Centuries of Cave Art, Breuil

74

Lascaux, a Commentary, Broderick

24

My Caves, Casteret ‘Penguin Parade’

10

Pennine Underground, Thornber

35

--E--

Underground Adventure, Gemmel, Myers

Ease Gill Caves

64

Eastwater Cavern, New System

46

Eisreisanwlt, Austria

60

Equipment

61

Exodus, IV. 47

16

Exploration of Nether Regions

59

7

Bournillon, Grotte de

62

Brambiau, Underground River of

42

Buckfastleigh Caves

33 Favet, Grotte de

43

Bude, Caving Area

23 France, Caving in

17

Burrington Combe area, Caves

--F--

9,12 France, if you’re going to -------- Planning a trip to French Caving Techniques Formations, Growth of

55 51,52 22 44,45

BB87/11 --R--

--G-Gargas, Grotte de Geology for Beginners Germany, Caving in Grotte de Bournillon ---------- Favot ---------- Gargas ---------- Niaux

31 Redcliffe Caves ----------- Surveying in 11 Reed’s Cavern, Buckfastleigh 22 Rhodesian Caves 42 43 Romano-Brit. Lead Smelter, Priddy 31 --S-30 Safety Underground

--H--

64 Sauerland Caves

Hill walking --I--

31 76 19 22 70

13 64

Smelter, Romano-British, Priddy

70

Iceland

78 Smuggler’s Cave, Bude

4

Ife Hole

38 Springwell Chalk Mine

11

--L-Lakes, A week in Llethrid Cave

76

S.R.L. Reports 73 Stoke Lane Swallet ------------- Beyond the Cairn Chamber 28 ------------- Theories on

--M--

Stretcher, The Club

Magpie Mine, Bakewell

39 Swildons Hole, Old Account?

Marzell, Aven-Grotte de

42

Menace, Adventures of Mendip Mining --N-Natterer’s Bat Niaux, Grotte de

30 Wales, South, Weekend in

Orgnac, Aven d’

36

--P-Peak District, Walk in

3

Photography, Cave --------------- Colour

39 69

Pridhamsleigh Cave

24

25

42

--W--

Wales, North, Border Caves --------------- Dicing in 21 --------------- Speleology in

--O--

76

--T--

5,8,16,19,20,31 Three Mile Cave, Derbyshire, 1780 16

5,25.40 5 20

9,10 35 61 39

BB87/12 AUTHOR INDEX --N--

--A--

12 Newman, R.H.N.

“Ariels

35,41,42

--O--

--B-31 “Oldtimer”

Brain, R. Browne, P.M.

13,73

5,37 Orren, G.

38 --P--

--C-Cantle, R.G.W.

22 “Pongo” see Wallis, R.M.

Coase, B.

22

Coase, D.A.

39 Rhodes, T.C.

Collins, S.J.

76 Ridyard, G.W.

--R--

11,19,33

Rollason, J.

--D--

42 --S--

76

Dobbs, K.C.

59

--F-Setterington, R.A. Fenn, G.

42

Fletcher, T.E.

76

--I--

Stanbury, T.H.

3,5,9,12,17,30 31,33,36,42,43

Stewart, P.A.E.

16,21

46,53,54,67

Ifold, J.W.

11,51,52,73

--T--

Ifold, R.A.

38 Thompson, L.J.

61

Ifold, A.M.

20 Treasure, S.C.

25

--J-Johnson, A.C.

--U-9,10,62,63,64, Unwin, N.M. 65,66

--M--

--W--

“Menace! See Morris J.V. Manson, J. Morris, J.V.

40

Waddon, J. 70 Wallis, R.M. 6,8,16,19,20,23 24,31,39,64,65

64 6,7,10,22,24,29, 39,44,45,55,58, 61,64,69,74,76