BETHALI FORT BESIEGED

Amreli, in which town he was besieged. He did not hold
out for long, however, and soon surrendered, when he
was obliged to leave the province and Amreli fort was
destroyed. At the close of the following year, however,
Fatehsinha Rao Gaekwad of Baroda himself entered
Kathiawad, being anxious to restore Maratha prestige
after the disaster sustained by Jiwaji Shamraj. He
advanced as far as Jetpur and there encamped. But
hearing on all sides of the skill and prowess in war of
Amarji, he considered it would be better for the present
to put off his belligerent attitude, and to attack at some
future and more favourable opportunity. He therefore
sent presents to the Dewan instead of a challenge, and
remitted the amount of tribute remaining due at the
time. The next year he entered Kathiawad with the
same intention, but was again obliged to put off his design
as he found he was quite unable to try conclusions with
Amarji with reasonable chances of success.

In the meanwhile, Rana Sultanji of Chhaya had built
in A.D. 1778 the fort of Bethali, near the Nawanagar
border, which was regarded by Meraman Khawas, Dewan
of Nawanagar, as an act of enmity. He thereupon
advanced on Bethali, and Rana Sultanji asked aid from
Dewan Amarji in repelling him. Amarji came to his
assistance, but not until the defenders had beaten off a
determined assault made by the Nawanagar army. On
the approach of the Junagadh forces Meraman raised
the siege, and a treaty of peace was drawn up and con-
cluded, by which the Nawanagar army desisted from
attacking the Rana any further, and the fort was
demolished.

Shortly afterwards Rana Sultanji collected a large
force of Arabs, who began creating disturbances in the
Barda Hills, and so troublesome to the countryside did
these men become that Amarji called on the Rana to
cause a stop to be put to their depredations. By way of