I was beginning to tire a little now. I had been cutting steps continuously for two hours, and Tenzing, too was moving very slowly. As I chipped steps around still another corner, I wondered rather dully just how long we could keep it up. Our original zest had now quite gone and it was turning more into a grim struggle. I then realised that the ridge ahead, instead of still monotonously rising, now dropped sharply away, and far below I could see the North Col and Rongbuk glacier. I looked upwards to see a narrow ridge running up to a snowy summit. A few more whacks of th ice-axe in the firm snow and we stood on top.
'It was turning more into a grim struggle' would mean.