midnight
A western breeze brought him air that he drank in as a desert-stricken man drinks water . He did not look at his compass again , but worked steadily in the face of that fresh air . An hour later he found that he was paddling again a slow current , and when he tasted the water it was only slightly tainted with sulphur . By midnight the water was cool and clean . He landed on a shore of sand and pebbles , stripped to the skin , and gave himself such a scouring as he had never before experienced . He had worn his old trapping shirt and trousers , and after his bath he changed to the outfit which he had kept clean in his pack . Then he built a fire and ate his first meal in two days .