Arthur de Capell Brooke facts for kids

Sir Arthur de Capell Brooke (born June 22, 1791, in Northamptonshire – died December 6, 1858) was a British baronet and a writer who loved to travel. A baronet is a special title of honor, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family. Sir Arthur was also a member of the Royal Society, a group for important scientists, and helped start the Raleigh Club, which was for explorers.

Sir Arthur de Capell Brooke: Explorer and Writer

Sir Arthur de Capell Brooke was a true adventurer. He explored many parts of the world, especially the cold northern regions. He wrote books and drew pictures about his journeys, sharing what he saw and learned with others.

Amazing Sea Monster Stories

In 1820, Sir Arthur traveled to Northern Norway. While there, he heard some incredible stories about sea monsters. He wrote down what people told him:

• One story was from a place called Otersoen. A man saw a very long creature in the water. It was coiled up high above the water, several feet tall. Its head looked like a snake's. The man said it smelled very strong, and the local boatmen were too scared to get close to it.

• Another story came from Alstahoeg. The Bishop of Nordland told Sir Arthur that he had seen two large creatures in the Bay of Sorsund. They were swimming in big folds, with parts of their bodies showing above the water. The bishop thought the biggest one was about 100 feet long! They were dark gray, and their heads were hard to see because they were mostly underwater.

Sir Arthur heard these tales from important people like the county administrator of Finnmark, and clergymen Marcus Fredrik Steen and Peter Vogelius Deinboll, as well as Bishop Mathias Bonsak Krogh. Later, in 1823, Sir Arthur also wrote about how people in places like Alta and Torneå had discovered coffee.

Books About His Adventures

Sir Arthur de Capell Brooke wrote several books about his exciting expeditions. These books included his own sketches and observations from his travels:

• Travels through Sweden, Norway, and Finmark to the North Cape, in the Summer of 1820 (published in London, 1823). This book describes his journey to the very top of Norway.
• Winter Sketches in Lapland (1826). This book showed what it was like to travel with reindeer in Lapland during winter. It covered Norwegian, Russian, and Swedish Lapland.
• A Winter in the North Cape (published by John Murray in London, 1827). This book shared his experiences living in Hammerfest, a town near the North Cape, and what he learned about the people of Finmark.
• Sketches in Spain and Morocco (published in London, 1831). This book was about his travels in warmer parts of the world.

See also

• De Capell Brooke baronets