Six thousand Swats were said to be in arms against the British.

The Government at once despatched a large force of soldiers to relieve
the little camp.

On their arrival the enemy was soon routed, the cavalry chasing them
back toward the hills. All danger was supposed to be over, when word was
brought that the natives had re-formed, and were preparing to attack a
fort in the neighborhood, called Fort Chakdara.

Leaving a few men at the camp to defend it, the commander of the relief
column started for Chakdara.

They arrived only just in time. The Swats had laid siege to the fort,
and the little garrison in it were despairing, when, from the hills,
they saw the lights flashed by a heliograph, and learned by this means
that help was coming. The heliograph is an instrument for signalling by
means of flashes of light reflected from mirrors.

When the relief party reached Chakdara, they had a severe fight with the
Swats, but they at length routed the tribesmen.

The situation is growing more serious.

* * * * *

News has just arrived that Great Britain has taken possession of one of
the smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, which is claimed by the
Hawaiian Government.