But even terror and admiration of the captain failed us before the end.

The men wearied of the hopeless, unremunerative quest and the long strain of labour.

They began to shirk and grumble.

Retribution fell on them at once, and retribution multiplied the grumblings.

With every day it took harder driving to keep them to the daily drudge; and we, in our narrow boundaries, were kept conscious every moment of the ill-will of our assistants.
In spite of the best care, the object of our search was perfectly well known to all on board; and there had leaked out besides some knowledge of those inconsistencies that had so greatly amazed the captain and myself.