The morning call., 1890-11-23
THEY CALL HIM
" A JONAH"
Captain Annett, a Mariner, Who
Has Had Much Hard Luck.
Adventures That Would Suffice for Dozen
Ordinary Men - In an 1usurrection.
Wrecked at Sea.
@sAFTAlN ROBERT A. ANNETT

dozen ordinary men. The captain has had
so much hard luck that his friends call him
Jonah." He was on the Virginia yester-
day when she ran into the tug-boat Volun-
teer. The captain was born at Shadyside,
Y. j., June IL, 1856, and during the "a years
of his life he has been shipwrecked a
number Of times, his life has been 'at-
tempted twice, and the story Of his lair
bread tn escapes would fill large volume.
Mes OF his life has been passed on the sea,
but for time he was an inSurrectionist in
Bueuos Ayres, and a seeker after the hidden
treasure of pirate. He bears on his body
and limbs the marks of several bullets, and
his right hand shows scars from the teeth
of a tiger. Captain Annetts health is still
good, but his coal-black hair was turned
gray in few hours by one terrible expert
eDce, and contrasts strongly with an other
wise youthful appearance. He resides now
at 1895 Avenue \, New York.
Captain Apnett comes of seafaring FAM
lily. His father was Captain Stephen An
nett who commanded the steamer Thomas
L. Hulse. plying between New DIRK, Shady
side and Fort Lee At the age Of 10 years
both Captain Roberts parents died, and he
was adopted by cousin Gardiner G. 1oe-
lin, wealthy New Yorker. The boy was
sent to school, but soon developed the love
for travel and adventure which he has sought
to crafty all his life.
AT the age of 16 he ran away from school
and shipped as cabin-boy on the Atlas Line
steamer Clara Belle, running between
| Kingston. Jamaica, and New York. He fol
| lowed the sea and rose in his calling until
at q years Of age he commanded the bark
entine Flora, plying between Buenos Ayres
and Liverpool.
Flora, and became intimate with Captain
| Don Juan Garrihan of the Spanish army,
who was stationed at Mercedes, BuenOs
Ayres. At the solicitation Of the Spanish
| officer. Captain Annett gaveup the command
| of the barkentine and allied himself with
| party in the Instruction OF about nine
| years ago in Buenos Ayres. Captain
Apnett was nut in command OF de-
| tachment of cavalry and was detailed
| to guard Don Juan's cattle and sheep
ranch near Mercedes. lie sent scouts out
every day 10 give warning of the enemy's
approach, but when force of the Roca
| party was discovered in the nelghbOrhoOd
the troops of Captain Annett deserted to a
man. Previously they had been sharpening
| their swords and lances and declaring they
would carve their foes in great style. At
the suggestion of Captain Annett Don Juan
left with his wife and three children for a
place of cOncealment
The enemy's forces arrived at the ranch
| about IL o'clock at night, after Captain An
door and demanded that Don Juan should
open it. Captain Annett pretended not TO
understand Spanish and answered in En-
glish that Don Juan had gone. The soldiers
pointed their pistols at Captain Annett's
head and dragged him from the house. An
Interpreter was found who translated
CAPTAIN ANNETT's WORDS,
But he was not believed. The commander
of the party demanded several times that
Captain Annets should declare where Don
Juan was concealed, and when Captain An
nett reiterated in English that he did not
know file Of soldier was drawn up to shoot
him. AS the order TO fire was about to be
given the man who acted as interpreter
threw himself in front of Captain
Annett, declaring that the Cap
tain could not belong to Don Juan's
party, as he did not understand Spanish.
The commander fired pistol at Captain
Annett's head, but the interpreter knocked
the weapon aside, and Captain Annett's life
was saved The experience turned Captain
Annetts hair from black to gray. pris-
oner who attempted to escape while this was
going on was brought back and had his
brains blown out in the yard. The insur-
rection lasted three months and resulted
| disastronsly to the party of Don Juan.
In 1887 Captain Annett acted as steward,
pilot and interpreter to the expedition which
left New York October 10Th of that year, on
the schoOner-yaeht Maria, in search of
pirates gold on the Island of Santa Cata-
lima, in the Caribbean Sea, which was
formerly the headquarters of Captain Nor
gan. the buccaneer. The island lies in about
latitude IL north. 1t is a mile in circum-
ference, mountainous and complete net
work of caverns. 1t is unnhabIted, but
was strongly fortified by Captain Morgan
Captain Annett had made two pre-
yious visits 10 the island and was
was sanguinary pirate. and after
killing all the crew Of every vessel ne capt
ured, would secrete the booty on the island
of Santa Catalina, according to tradition.
1t is reported among the natives OF the
island of Old Providence, three-quarters of
mile from Santa Catalina. that when Captain
Morgan was captured by a British man-of-
war he said he would reveal the hiding
place of his treasure if his life was spared.
This was refused, and Captain Morgan was
hanged at the yard-arm, his secret dying
with him. An encyclopedia says that Sir
Henry Morgan, the renowned buccaneer,
lived in peace and plenty at Jamaica for the
last twenty years Of his life, and died in
1880, aged So years, after being knishted by
Charles LII. The natives believe their YER
sion OF the buccaneers taking off, and the
report has spread of fabulous sums of treas
ure hidden on the island. About dozen
expeditions have been fitted out to search
for these supposed riches.
Captain Annett says he has met two men
who have found treasures on the island.
One of these Is John Curry of Kingston,
Jamaica, who discovered in a cave S10O0Oln
Spanish doubloons. Curry told Captain An
nett that he landed on the island from a
Spanish vessel in search of wood and water
While there he chased an iguana, which ran
in hole near one Of the forts. Curry put
his hand in the hole after the animal, and
says 1t came in contact with masonry. He
pulled out two or three stones, and discoy-
cred that the masonry concealed the en-
trance TO a large cave. Curry entered the
cave and built fire to give him light, and
was astonished at what he beheld. There
were In the cave nine earthen jars as high as
man, filled to the top with Spanish doub-
looms. and cases filed with jewels, while
gold and Slverware were strewn around.
Curry took away $4,000 in gold, as much as
he could conveniently carry without exciting
the suspicion of the men on the vessel, who
he feared would murder him if
HIS SECRET WAS DISCOVERED.
He went to Jamaica and spent his fortune
in five years. When advised to be less Law
ish in his expenditure Curry would say he
knew where there was plenty more. After
his treasure was exhausted he returned to
the island. and was arrested there by the
Indians of Old Providence and taken to
Aspinwall, where lie was imprisoned. The
Spanish authorities tried to make Curry
tell where he found the money, hut he
refused to do so. MIR. Compton, the British
Consul at Aspinwall, interfered in Curry's
behalf and lie was released. When taken
lfOW pIlSOu curry showed TO the Consul
several valuable rings which he said he
had discovered on his second visit to the
island before he was captured. his story
induced Mr.. Compton to invest his whole
fortune in an expedition to the island and he
secured the services of British man-of- war
to protect those making the search. Curry
was with the expedition, but refused to dis
Close the treasure cave, as he said he was
afraid he would not get any Of the find. The
crew of the man-of-war searched the island
for three weeks, but discovered nothing
Curry was threatened with lynching, and Mr..
Compton committed suicide by blowing his
brains out as a result of the expedition.
Mr.. Alexander Archibald OF Old
| Providence while digging well
| on Santa Catalina struck an earthen
| jar with his spade. Thinking he had
made discovery, he sent his assistants
back to Old Providence and pursued his ill.,
| designations alone When the jar was re-
| moved Mr.. Archibald found it to contain
| $1,000 in Spanish doubloons. Another ex-
| petition will be organized in New YORK in