Nostromo, in his own vernacular, has just repeated the phrase, "No intelligence can penetrate the darkness of the Placid Gulf." In a world bereft of objective reference, he must rely on "sheer desperation," i.e., a heightened integrity of character. Consider his resolve (mentioned in the last chapter) to see the treasure to a Company ship even if dead upon it: his dream-ideal of an unblemished reputation has superceded his desire to live.