Charlie Noble And Mate

THERE WAS ONCE a sea captain named Charlie Noble who had a reputation for neatness.

- Louis Arthur Norton

 In particular he liked to have the copper smokestack on his ship’s galley well polished. A shiny smokestack became a trademark of Captain Noble’s ships, and in time all ships’ galley smokestacks became known as the “Charlie Noble.” This is what they are called even today.

Captain Charlie was very orderly about everything and took great pride in his personal appearance and “commanding” manner. Like the galley’s smokestack that bore his name, Charlie was tall and slim. He stood very straight with his sea captain’s cap placed squarely on his head so that the hat resembled a smokestack’s weather-protective cover.

After many years at sea Charlie “swallowed the anchor.” That is, he retired to Bald Head, the seaside village overlooking Herring Gut, Halibut Point, and the white sands of Singing Beach. The broad beach got its name from the squeaky sound it made underfoot when anyone walked over its damp sand.

Charlie’s companion was a black Labrador retriever named Mate. Dogs learn obedience commands from the language of their owners. Instead of ordinary English, Mate responded to instructions that the captain used aboard ship like on board, meaning “come to your master,” and many other commands such as luff for “slow down,” avast for “stay,” heave to for “stop,” capsize for “roll over,” hail for “speak,” pipe down for “stop barking,” backwater for “move away,” shipshape for “good dog,” and most welcome, hardtack for “biscuit reward.”