and Scott decided upon "Northwest Fur Company," as the name for their new concern. Thus it transpired that a considerable number of free trappers were assembled under the leadership of LeClerc, with Hiram Scott as clerk and bookkeeper. And they were enroute for St. Louis in 1828, to dispose of their first collection of peltries, and formally launch their company.

Chittendon says that this new company was outfitted by Henry Shaw, but that was later and after the death of Scott.

Just above Platte canyon, at the rock bottom ford, Scott was taken ill, and left behind with Roi and Bissonette, to be taken by a bullboat through the Platte canyon, and to overtake the party at "the big bluff one hundred miles down the river," where they would tarry and trap. (People coming to Scotts Bluff from the plain refer to it as a mountain, but people from the mountains regularly called it a bluff.)

The story of the naming of Scotts Bluff, as told by Washington Irving in "Captain Bonneville," needs only these few alterations and embellishments, which I have garnered from the notes of other brave men of the mountains, to make it complete.

After a few days the boat was launched, but was upset in the canyon, and all provisions and ammunition were lost. The three men reached the shore, however, and after some difficulty reached Laramie's fork. While searching for food, Roi and Bissonette came upon the fresh trail of LeClerc and party, and abandoned Scott in the wilderness. On reaching the big bluff, they found that the others had not waited as agreed, so they pushed onward. When overtaking the party, they improvised the story that Scott had died from exposure and fever.