[21]Others to participate in this discovery were Milton Mangum, Clifford Mangum, John T. Elliott, Budge Elliott, William Thornock, and David Beal.
[22]Robert Stuart, _The Discovery of the Oregon Trail_ (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1935), p. CXXXVI. Etienne Provot and Thomas Fitzpatrick have both been credited with the discovery of South Pass. Certainly the latter's visit in 1824 marks the date of effective discovery.
[23]W. J. Ghent, "A Sketch of John Colter," _Wyoming Annals_, X, 3 (July, 1938).
[24]Stallo Vinton, _John Colter, Discoverer of Yellowstone Park_ (New York: Edward Eberstadt, 1926), p. 27.
[25]W. J. Ghent, _op. cit._ The copious journals of Lewis, Clark and Sergeant Ordway make repeated mention of Colter, and Whitehouse names him six times. Floyd does not mention him by name nor does Gass, although the latter refers to him specifically.
[26]Reuben G. Thwaites, _op. cit._, V, 314.
[28]_Ibid._, p. 43. Colter's strange behavior in turning back to the wilderness after three successive starts toward home, is analyzed by C. H. Heffelfinger in his article, "The Man Who Turned Back," _The Washington Historical Quarterly_, XXVI, 3 (July, 1935).
[29]_Ibid._, p. 45. Lisa had a son named "Remon" for whom the fort was named, but different documents bear the name Raymond, Manuel, and Lisa.
[30]Judge Henry M. Brackenridge (1786-1871) was educated in Missouri and Maryland. As a lawyer, he specialized in international affairs and served as a federal judge in New Orleans. In 1810 he made a trip up the Missouri in the company of Manuel Lisa. Six years later (1814) Brackenridge's account of this journey was published. On page 91, of _Views of Louisiana_, we find the first reference to Colter's wilderness journey. Obviously the source of this information was Manuel Lisa since he asked Colter to make the trip. That Colter started on such a journey is indisputable. Where he went, what he saw, and how he returned are matters of opinion. Brackenridge confuses Colter's return from this trip with that of another one.
[32]John Colter's discovery of Yellowstone has caught the imagination of many people. Probably a hundred authors have written about it. Each one disagrees with the other, until poor Colter has been turned into a human grasshopper, hopping around from place to place without either rhyme or reason.