When Lieutenant Sobrai heard of the accusation against him, he protested against it vigorously. He said that he had not made the slightest effort to inspect any of our Southern forts or coast defences. He declared that he had been in the South on a confidential mission from his Government, and that his visit to Sullivan's Island was merely to escape the intolerable heat of the city. Whether his statement be true or false, the scare which he caused will have the good effect of making our Government still more careful about admitting strangers to our forts. * * * * * The reports from India are not as encouraging as they were last week. There seems to have been small foundation for the statement that the Mullah had ordered his followers to go back to their homes, and had disbanded his forces because of the refusal of the Mohmands to join him. It is true that the Mohmands have not risen, and that the British have little or no fear that they mean to make trouble; but the Afridis are just as troublesome as ever. They have now been joined by a new tribe called the Orakzais. If these people are as terrible as their name, they must be an unpleasant enemy. The news comes from the hills that these two tribes now represent a force of forty-seven thousand men, and that they are advancing on the Samana Hills, where the British have a number of small forts. The tribesmen apparently intend to attack and demolish these forts. Some brave fighting is being done in these hills. One of the forts was attacked by a body of Orakzais, one thousand strong. Its garrison consisted of twenty native soldiers, who defended themselves with wonderful heroism for a period of six hours. One of these men whose duty it was to signal to the other forts remained at his post until the fort was captured. In spite of the bullets that were whistling around him, he continued sending his messages of warning until he was overcome by the enemy. Another had been told off to defend the guard-room of the fort. He remained at his post, killing twenty of the enemy before he was shot down himself. Of the whole garrison, but one man remained alive when the assault was over. These heroes were not white men, but native subjects of Queen Victoria. They belonged to a people called the Sikhs, natives of the Punjaub, a northern province of Hindustan. With such brave men as these loyal to their standard, the British should take heart about their future in India. The expedition which is to be sent out to punish the rebellious tribes is being hurried forward with all possible speed. The Ameer of Afghanistan has, it is said, become seriously alarmed over the advance of the British troops to the frontier. He is persuaded that England intends to invade Afghanistan, and take his country away from him.