Le Renégat and heat/thirst

I found Le Rengat most interesting in the way that it emphasises the way that the body feels. Like in L'Etranger, there is a definite emphasis on the effect of heat and the sun, but here, the stress seems to fall upon thirst and torture. Salt is mentioned consistently through the story, emphasising the dry and barren land around the protagonist. The invocation of the body feeling things, both in terms of violence towards the protagonist and his mental anguish always seems to come back to thirst, be it a thirst for power, freedom or just water. This being mentioned, I find the final line 'Une poignee de sel emplit la bouche d'esclave bavard' very interesting, as it underlines both the thirst and hopelessness of the protagonist's situation.