THE HISTORY OF KATHIAWAD

received the title of " Maharaja " as a personal distinction
at a Darbar held at his capital.

The most serious disturbance of modern times in the
Kathiawad peninsula took place in A.D. 1892, when after
two years spent in daring robbery and violence, a band
of outlaws was secured. The origin of the trouble took
place in A.D. 1890, when a certain Mahomed Jan was
arrested in connexion with a murder committed in Morvi,
and sentenced. Unfortunately while on the way to
Ahmadabad he succeeded in escaping from the custody
of the police escort, and returned to Malia after spending
some months in concealment. Joined by other Mianas,
he took part in another murder in October A.D. 1891,
after which the gang was augmented by several noted
outlaws. These included Juma Gand, well known for
his depredations in Kachh, a bad character from Dhrol
named Habibmia, and Wala Namori, a Miana, who had
been Movar Sandhwani's lieutenant some years previously.
The whole gang crossed the Rann into Kachh territory,
where they remained for a time and then emerged in
December to commit a robbery in a Wankaner village,
and afterwards in Baldhoi, under Lodhika. The object
of the second attack, however, made a determined resis-
tance in defence of his life and property, and in the fight
which ensued Mahomed Jan was so seriously wounded that
he died shortly afterwards. But the rest of the gang
escaped, and were no more heard of until February
A.D. 1892, when they looted the Muli village of Jasapur,
injuring eleven persons and carrying off property of
considerable value.

An energetic pursuit of the outlaws was undertaken
and they were eventually tracked to a ruined hill-fort
near Than. But they learnt of the pursuit and escaped
by night before a sufficient number of men to surround
them and effect their capture could arrive from Rajkot.
The pursuit, however, was taken up at once, and the

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