Like so many 18th-century accounts, this one shows little indication of reading during the voyage, though there are a few scraps:
p. 100-01, in Korea on the islands of Insu near Volcano Bay, September 25th 1796: The master was sent to examine the shore between the ship and the apparent island. In the morning we were visited by a new party of Japanese, superior to the others in dress, and equally so in behavior. We derived not only pleasure, but information also, from their society. They shewed us a chart of the world, which appeared to have been constructed in Russia; and having a book with them in which were drawn the arms of different countries, they immediately pointed out those of Great Britain, to which country they supposed us to belong. They also had a Russian alphabet and by what I could understand, one of them had been at Petersburg. We had on board a seaman of that country, who conversed with them in his native language. They permitted me to copy a large chart of the islands to the North of Japan, and promised to bring one of their own doing the next day.
p. 390-93 give three appendices on the languages of the Islands of Insu on the Coast of Corea.