By the time he had to leave the Gilbert Islands in 1865 because of his deteriorating health, he not only had given the Gilbertese language a written form but had also translated the books of Matthew and John into Gilbertese.
Aastaks 1865, mil ta pidi halveneva tervise tõttu Gilberti saartelt lahkuma, oli ta loonud kiribati kirjakeele ning tõlkinud Matteuse ja Johannese evangeeliumi kiribati keelde.