Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Belford, George

 

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)

 

career:

Son of a high chief of Samoa and an Irish woman; at one time dweller on the Hunter River, then in Australian pilot service; he drifted to New Guinea, was a digger, a carrier of goods from Buna Bay to the Yodda, and one of Sir W. MacGregor’s most trusted men. He accompanied many New Guinea expeditions.

 

Collecting localities:

SE. New Guinea, Papua. 1883. With the ‘Argus’ expedition (cf. sub W.E. Armitt).-1884. With the Expedition of the ‘Age’,1 Melbourne, leader G.E. Morrison (naturalist C. Stewart): little way up the Goldie River, assaulted by the natives and return to Port Moresby.-1887. March from Sogeri to Eaha on the Brown River.2 In October he accompanied H.O. Forbes (see there) on an expedition having for its object the sources of the Goldie River.-1889. Accompanying Sir W. MacGregor (see there) on the expedition to Owen Stanley Range (May-June) and ditto on a journey to the Fly River (Nov. 1889-Febr. 1890).-1890. For the first months, see before. In Nov. with W. MacGregor to the Mekeo District (St Joseph River); Belford proceeded on this expedition3 after the departure of MacGregor to Port Moresby: climbing the SW. slope of Mt Drew (Dec. 8) and the summit of Mt Yule (7500 ft, via the SE. slope); via Amo-Amo back to Mekeo Station (Jan. 3, 1891); return journey to Port Moresby (7-10).-1906. With the expedition of the Royal Commission etc. (cf. sub Col. J.A.K. Mackay).

 

collections:

He collected on Astrolabe Range.4 The plants from Mt Yule were described by F. von Mueller;5 no collector is mentioned, but probably Belford directed the collecting assisted by other participants. On the latter mountain cryptogams were collected too.6

 

literature:

(1) cf. Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. for 1897/98, Vict. 1899, p. 1 and 2.

(2) cf. W. MacGregor in l.c. 1897/98, Brisbane 1898, p. xii.

(3) For this expedition under the auspices of the Vict. Br. Roy. Geogr. Soc. Australia see Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. for 1890/91, Brisb. 1892, p. xiii, 19, 21-24, 34-42; Proc. Roy. Geogr. Soc. N.S. 13, 1891, p. 229, p. 430-431.

(4) cf. F. von Mueller, Descr. Not. Pap. PI., pt 6.

(5) In Journ. Bot. 29, 1891, p. 176-178 and l.c. 30, 1892, p. 17-18; cf. also Gard. Chron. 9, 1891, p. 648.

(6) F. Stephani: ‘Hepaticarum spec. nov.’ (Hedwigia 33, 1894, p. 134-155).

V.F. Brotherus: ‘Some new Australian Mosses described’ (Öfv. Finska Vet. Soc. Förh. 37, 1894/95, p. 160).

 

biographical data:

Portr. in Ann. Rep. Br. N.G. 1897/98, Vict. 1899, pl. 19.