later, on 16 April, accompanied by Mr. Joseph Copeland, they both sailed from Scotland to the South Pacific. The Parting The following excerpt, written by John G. Paton late in his life, is from Missionary Patriarch: The True Story of John G. Paton and provides an example of the relationship between Paton and his father. Early years in New Hebrides John and Mary Paton landed on the island of Tanna, in the southern part of the New Hebrides, on 5 November 1858 and built a small house at Port Resolution. When they arrived, the Canadian missionary John Geddie (1815–72) had already been laboring in the New Hebrides since 1846, where he served primarily on the island of Aneityum. In those days the natives of Tanna were cannibals. The missionary couple were surrounded by "painted savages who were enveloped in the superstitions and cruelties of heathenism at its worst. The men and children went about in a state of nudity while the women wore abbreviated grass or leaf aprons." Three months after their arrival, a son, Peter Robert Robson, was born on 12 February 1859. But just 19 days later, Mary died from tropical fever soon to be followed to the grave by the newly born Peter at 36 days of age. Paton buried his wife and child together, close to their house in Resolution Bay. He spent nights sleeping on their grave to protect them from the local cannibals. The gravesite is still accessible to this day with a plaque marking the spot, erected in 1996. Paton continued unfailingly with his missionary work in spite of constant animosity from the natives and many attempts on his life. During one attack, a ship arrived just in time to rescue him and take him and missionaries from another part of the island, Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson, to safety at Aneityum. Visit to Australia and Scotland and second marriage From Aneityum, Paton went first to Australia, then to Scotland, to arouse greater interest in the work of the New Hebrides, to recruit new missionaries, and especially to raise a large sum of money for the building and upkeep of a sailing ship to assist the missionaries in the work of evangelizing the Islands. Later he raised a much larger sum with which to build a mission steamship. During this time in Scotland, on 17 June 1864, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Paton married Margaret (Maggie)