[3] After a spell in Philadelphia, Wood returned to Canton in February 1831 aboard the American ship Fanny where he joined the trading company Russell & Co. as secretary to William Henry Low, one of the partners.
The title was later shortened to The Chinese Courier in 1832 but the paper succumbed to competition from other periodicals and ceased publication on September 23, 1833[5] A clever poet, Wood composed parodies of well known poems based on life in Canton, including one by Lord Byron.
Wood fell in love with the diarist Harriet Low and frequently visited her home in Macao, ostensibly to give her drawing lessons.
When he secretly asked for her hand in marriage, she accepted but her uncle and Wood's employer, William Henry Low objected to his niece marrying a "penniless adventurer"and forced her to abandon the arrangement.
After moving to the Philippines, Wood became manager of a coffee and sugar plantation in Jalajala, Rizal and subsequently joined the office of Messrs. Russell & Sturgis in Manila.