This intense cold lasted till the 15th of August, without, however, passing the degree of Fahrenheit already mentioned.

When the atmosphere was calm, the low temperature was easily borne, but when the wind blew, the poor settlers, insufficiently clothed, felt it severely.

Pencroft regretted that Lincoln Island was not the home of a few families of bears rather than of so many foxes and seals.
"Bears," said he, "are generally very well dressed, and I ask no more than to borrow for the winter the warm cloaks which they have on their backs." "But," replied Neb, laughing, "perhaps the bears would not consent to give you their cloaks, Pencroft.

These beasts are not St.Martins." "We would make them do it, Neb, we would make them," replied Pencroft, in quite an authoritative tone.
But these formidable carnivora did not exist in the island, or at any rate they had not yet shown themselves.
In the meanwhile, Herbert, Pencroft, and the reporter occupied themselves with making traps on Prospect Heights and at the border of the forest.
According to the sailor, any animal, whatever it was, would be a lawful prize, and the rodents or carnivora which might get into the new snares would be well received at Granite House.
The traps were besides extremely simple; being pits dug in the ground, a platform of branches and grass above, which concealed the opening, and at the bottom some bait, the scent of which would attract animals.

It must be mentioned also, that they had not been dug at random, but at certain places where numerous footprints showed that quadrupeds frequented the ground.