“I cried out for joy, clapped my hands together, and did all I could to attract her attention to our whereabouts. In this I was successful, and a minute later she stood without the barrier that confined us.
“The Traucos, in spite of the soft fur on their faces, have expressive features. Looking through one of the upper outlets, I could see the Trauco queen’s face pucker with anxiety and perplexity. She laid her hands upon the fallen rock and tried to move it, but as it budged not so much as a hair’s breadth, she at once perceived the magnitude of the weight before her, and turned to her followers. I saw her point to it, then to the hollow below, then move her arms up and down, as though lifting a great weight. The other Traucos cooed, but shook their heads gravely; she stamped her foot, and gave vent to a low trumpet note, at the same time waving her arm. Thereupon the other Traucos bowed submissively and retired.
“When they were gone the queen stretched out her arms towards me and cooed piteously, and I could see tears large as crystals glittering in her splendid eyes. I never saw them look so soft and gentle before, and for the first time the truth flashed across me that this strange creature loved me. Ah, poor thing! she was soon to prove it, and thus more than ever convince me of the humanity of the Trauco nature.
“At length the other Traucos returned, bearing enormously thick poles, roughly hewn from the pinewood tree, whose wood is like iron, and whose resisting powers are remarkable. I at once understood that the queen’s idea was to raise the rock from below in such a manner as to enable us to crawl out from beneath. Knowing the wonderful strength of these Traucos, I rejoiced greatly, feeling sure now that our freedom at least was certain, and I aroused Cuastral to share in my joy. But he only shook his head.
“The hopes which had flooded me were soon, however, doomed to be shattered. One after the other the massive poles were inserted, and the rock slightly raised, but each time it sought its level again at the expense of the inserted pole, which its weight snapped asunder.
“In vain fresh poles were procured, and further attempts made to liberate us with no greater success than the first. It soon became apparent that even this powerfully resisting wood was not proof against the enormous weight it had to bear.
“Then the queen moaned piteously, and wrung her hands, presenting a moving picture of real grief. A thought seemed suddenly to strike her, for she pointed to the hollow in the rock, and made signs to the other Traucos, moving her shoulders up and down. Apparently the proposal horrified them, for they cooed piteously, and appeared to reason vigorously against it. The queen, however, was not to be convinced, and shook her head imperiously. I can see her still as I saw her then, tall and majestic, indeed a queen of power and strength amongst her fellows, a born ruler and leader. She turned once more towards me, her white teeth showing as she smiled gently. There was a look of intense yearning in her dark eyes, which seemed to speak the feelings of her heart. I do not think I read their meaning wrongly in the light of what followed.
“She knelt down and crawled into the outer aperture, and then across my brain flashed the magnitude of this wild creature’s self-sacrifice. With the herculean strength with which Nature had endowed her, I perceived that she was going to raise the rock on her back and shoulders, thus enabling Cuastral and I to creep forth to freedom, yet assuredly at the expense of her own life.
“‘Quick Cuastral,’ I cried, as I heard the breath of this splendid creature come quick and fast under the influence of enormous exertion. I remember well how I saw the great rock heave up, and the head and shoulders of the queen show themselves on our side. She was gasping for breath, and the sinews in her arms stood out like ropes. There was not a second to be lost. Any moment her strength might succumb and in the act of passing to freedom we should have been crushed to death. Like drowning men clutching at rescue, we threw ourselves down and crawled through the opening to the outer cave, Cuastral first, I following.
“I sprung to my feet, but as I did so my heart sank, and a pain passed through it, as though a poisoned arrow had transfixed it. For I heard a shriek, so sad, so despairing, and so pathetic, that it almost deprived me of my senses. It was the first human note I had heard for many a day.