Inspired by the discovery of Lakes Rudolf and Stephanie in 1888 by the Hungarian explorer Count Samuel Teleki, William Astorr Chanler, at the age of 25, embarked on his own expedition to reach Lake Rudolf by way of the unexplored country between the Mt Kenya region and the Lake. His expedition spanned the years 1892 and 1894 and he was accompanied by Ritter Ludwig Von Hohnel, Teleki's companion on his historic adventure four years earlier. Although unsuccessful in reaching Lake Rudolf, Chanler and Von Hohnel did explore much new country in the hitherto unexplored country between the Tana River and Mt Kenya and the Mathew's Range. He was the first white man on the northern Uaso Nyiro River which runs through Shaba National Reserve, and Chanler's Falls, just downstream of the reserve, is named after him. Chanler's Mountain Reedbuck is also named after him, and he was also the first white man to see Magado crater with its valued supply of magnesium sulphate salt. Chanler grew up in the family home at Rokeby. The expedition set off from Lamu, followed the Tana River to its source and then continued north, reaching the Chanler Falls on Christmas Day 1892. Chandler then followed the river until it petered out in the Lorian Swamp. Von Hohnel mapped a large area which until that time was a complete blank on the printed maps, and Chanler, a naturalist, collected many new species of Lepidoptera which are in the Smithsonian Institute. The expedition came to an untimely end in 1893 when Von Hohnel was badly gored by a rhinoceros and had to be carried down to a mission in Kibwezi.

North - Accused by IBEA Co. officials of ill treating porters but before any action could be taken he left the country, Feb 1894

Chanler - potted biography

Chanler's Falls named for him

Biog Dict of US Congress (son of John Winthrop Chanler), a Representative from New York; born in Newport, R.I., June 11, 1867; attended St. John's School, Ossining, N.Y., Phillips Academy, Exeter, N.H., and Harvard University for two years; Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society of London; explored the territory in the vicinity of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1889; delegate to the State Republican convention at Saratoga in 1896; member of the State assembly in 1897; during the Spanish-American War was appointed captain and assistant adjutant general of Volunteers on May 10, 1898; served as acting ordnance officer, Cavalry Division, Fifth Army Corps, from May 23 to August 23, 1898; participated in the Battle of Santiago; elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-sixth Congress (March 4, 1899-March 3, 1901); was not a candidate for renomination in 1900; traveler, author, and explorer; moved to Europe in 1920; died in Menton, A. M., France, March 4, 1934; interment in Trinity Church Cemetery, New York City.