young men within limits too
contracted. Your brothers, the Miamis, the proprietors of these lands,
and all your younger brothers present, wish you to run the line as you
mentioned, to Fort Recovery, and to continue it along the road from
thence to Fort Hamilton, on the Great Miami river." This, however, Wayne
refused to do. The ground had been hardly won, and the United States,
although willing to pay a fair remuneration, was determined to protect
the outposts and inhabitants of the Ohio country.

Another controversy arose with the Little Turtle concerning the portage
at Fort Wayne. The government insisted on reservations of from two to
six miles square at Fort Wayne, Fort Defiance, Ouiatenon, Chicago, and
other important trading places. A large tract was reserved near Detroit,
and another near the Post of Michillimacinac. Clark's Grant was also
specially reserved by the United States. But when Wayne insisted on a
tract two miles square on the Wabash river, "at the end of the portage
from the Miami of the Lake (Maumee), and about eight miles westward from
Fort Wayne," the Little Turtle claimed that this was a request that
neither the English nor the French had ever made of them; that this
portage had in the past yielded them an important revenue, and had
proved, "in a great degree, the subsistence of your younger brothers."
The valiant old warrior made a stout defense of his claims, and fought
to the last for all that was dear to him about Fort Wayne, but was
forced to bow to the superior genius and commanding influence of the
American general.

Wayne had on his side two powerful factors. The first, was the
treachery of the English, which he dilated upon with telling effect. The
second, was the commanding influence of Tarhe and the Wyandots of
Sandusky, who were addressed with deference by the other tribes, and who
threw all their influence on the side of the treaty. At last the several
articles were agreed upon, and General Wayne, calling upon the separate
tribes in open council for a confirmation of the pact, met with a full
and unanimous response of approval. One of the originals of the treaty
was deposited with the Wyandots as the custodians of all the nations. At
the last arose Tarhe to make this touching and final appeal: "Father:
Listen to your children, here assembled; be strong, now, and take care
of all your little ones. See what a number you have suddenly acquired.
Be careful of them, and do not suffer them