# Projects and Progress on Lincoln Island explained — The Mysterious Island > Chapter companion for The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. ## What happens The colonists, having reclaimed Granite House from the monkeys, focus on several key projects: building a drawbridge over the Mercy to isolate Prospect Plateau, constructing a corral for woolly animals, and establishing a poultry yard. They capture a pair of onagers (wild asses) and successfully harness them to a cart, using it to retrieve the balloon envelope from Balloon Harbor. The chapter details the engineering of the bridge, the domestication of the onagers, and the ongoing preparations for winter and self-sufficiency. ## Themes in this chapter ### Colonization and Civilization The colonists systematically transform the island into a civilized, fortified settlement, building infrastructure and domesticating animals. ### Community and Cooperation All colonists work together on the bridge, cart, and other projects, demonstrating teamwork and shared purpose. ### Science and Technology Cyrus Smith's engineering plans for the drawbridge, causeways, and isolation of the plateau showcase applied science and practical innovation. ## Character check-ins ### Cyrus Smith Leads the planning and execution of major projects, including the bridge, corral, and isolation of Prospect Plateau. ### Pencroff Drives the work on the bridge and cart, successfully tames and harnesses the onagers, and celebrates the progress. ### Gideon Spilett Assists in the construction work, showing unexpected skill; humorously noted by Pencroff as a capable worker for a newspaper man. ### Herbert Brown Identifies the captured animals as onagers, demonstrating his naturalist knowledge. ### Neb Calls attention to the need for a poultry yard and rekindles the range after the monkey intrusion. ### Jup The orangutan is kept bound initially but gradually familiarizes with the colonists; becomes friends with Top. ## Key lines > The colonists had now reconquered their domicile without having been obliged to follow the weir. The settlers regained their home without needing to carry out their plan to destroy the dam. _Describes the unexpected retreat of the monkeys, allowing the colonists to reclaim Granite House._ > Thus Prospect Plateau will be a veritable island, unconnected with the rest of our domain, save by the bridge which we will throw over the Mercy... The plateau will become an actual island, linked to the rest of the territory only by the bridge over the Mercy River. _Cyrus Smith explains his plan to isolate the plateau for protection._ > The honest sailor, in talking thus, believed what he said. Such is the power of imagination combined with faith! The sailor truly believed his own words, showing how strong imagination and faith can be. _Narrator comments on Pencroff's optimistic vision of future railways on the island._ > They are onagers... Quadrupeds of a kind between the zebra and the quagga. They are onagers, animals that are a cross between a zebra and a quagga. _Herbert identifies the captured animals as onagers._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_mysterious_island_se/chapters/xxix - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_mysterious_island_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_mysterious_island_se/chapters