ThewinterseasonsetinwiththemonthofJune,whichcorrespondswiththemonthofDecemberintheNorthernHemisphere.Itbeganwithshowersandsqualls,whichsucceededeachotherwithoutintermission.ThetenantsofGraniteHousecouldappreciatetheadvantagesofadwellingwhichshelteredthemfromtheinclementweather.TheChimneyswouldhavebeenquiteinsufficienttoprotectthemagainsttherigorofwinter,anditwastobefearedthatthehightideswouldmakeanotherirruption.CyrusHardinghadtakenprecautionsagainstthiscontingency,soastopreserveasmuchaspossibletheforgeandfurnacewhichwereestablishedthere.

           DuringthewholeofthemonthofJunethetimewasemployedindifferentoccupations,whichexcludedneitherhuntingnorfishing,thelarderbeing,therefore,abundantlysupplied.Pencroft,sosoonashehadleisure,proposedtosetsometraps,fromwhichheexpectedgreatresults.Hesoonmadesomesnareswithcreepers,bytheaidofwhichthewarrenhencefortheverydayfurnisheditsquotaofrodents.Nebemployednearlyallhistimeinsaltingorsmokingmeat,whichinsuredtheiralwayshavingplentyofprovisions.Thequestionofclotheswasnowseriouslydiscussed,thesettlershavingnoothergarmentsthanthosetheyworewhentheballoonthrewthemontheisland.Theseclotheswerewarmandgood;theyhadtakengreatcareofthemaswellasoftheirlinen,andtheywereperfectlywhole,buttheywouldsoonneedtobereplaced.Moreover,ifthewinterwassevere,thesettlerswouldsuffergreatlyfromcold.