p. 68, Friday March 8, 1912: After tea I fitted up the batten floor of the canoe (which was not loaded) as a bookshelf, & Hoadley opened the Library—some of the books damp. Rather disappointed in them. Not a poet in the lot. [Footnote 19, p. 291: The ‘Library’ was a selection of books donated by a rich benefactor, Campbell Mackellar.]
p. 135-36, Thursday June 20, 1912: My nightwatch…spent most of it reading Wilkie Collins “Moonstone”. The books of our library are not up to much of a collection, but there are a few good books of Murphy’s that have come to this base – and his loss is our gain. Also 2 or 3 good ones belonging to the different fellows.
p. 153-54 July 26 Friday: Have not been sleeping too well – go to bed at 10, read for a couple of hrs & then lay awake until 1 or 2 a.m, & listening to the blizzard overhead I often think of my hope at the “Glen.”
p. 155, July 30 Tuesday: Thro afternoon was reading book on biology – largest print I had – for its wretchedly dark.
p. 157, August 4 Sunday. reading zoological work.
p. 217, November 11, on sledging trip. Sewing, studying “Hints to travelers”
p. 229, November 21 Thursday: Spent most of the day at leisure, repairs & alterations…Reading Herrick’s “Fair Daffodils” in the Golden Treasury brought vividly to my mind that they would have bloomed & faded with the other spring flowers in far off Tas[mania]. And that my wife (if all is well) has probably picked the first white raspberries of the season in our garden, with the green trees and growing fruit all around. And here! Ice, driving snow, howling wind, flapping tent! [Footnote to this entry, p. 292, notes that this copy of Palgrave is in the Mitchell Library, and is inscribed: ‘This book constituted the Library of A D. Watson on the Summer Journey in Queen Mary Land, Antarctica in the years 1912-1913’.]
p. 276, Feb. 4 Tuesday [1913], towards end of expedition, awaiting relief ship Aurora: Fellows fervently wishing “Aurora” would come – “So jolly slow!” Books all read – say they have read some of the novels 3 or 4 times.
p. 280 Feb. 16 Monday: Fellows say they are sick of laying about all day reading twice read novels – and poor ones too.
p. 281 Feb. 23 Sunday: Finally Aurora arrives to great relief of all, plus all the mail, but also the news of deaths of Ninnis and Mertz. [Remaining pages deal with trip back to Hobart.]