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15. And they came down again, that they might pitch battle against the Nephites. And they were led by a man whose name was Coriantumr; and he was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was a dissenter from among the Nephites; and he was a large and a mighty man;

16. Therefore, the king of the Lamanites, whose name was Tubaloth, who was the son of Ammoron, supposing that Coriantumr, being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites, insomuch with his strength, and also with his great wisdom, that by sending him forth, he should gain power over the Nephites;

17. Therefore he did stir them up to anger, and he did gather together his armies, and he did appoint Coriantumr to be their leader, and did cause that they should march down to the land of Zarahemla, to battle against the Nephites.

18. And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.

19. But it came to pass that Coriantumr did march forth at the head of his numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of the city, and their march was with such exceeding great speed, that there was no time for the Nephites to gather together their armies;

20. Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and did march forth with his whole army into the city, and they did slay every one who did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city.

21. And it came to pass that Pacumeni, who was the Chief Judge, did flee before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city. And it came to pass that Coriantumr did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died. And thus ended the days of Pacumeni.

22. And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before them, and were slain, and were taken, and were cast into prison, and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart took courage, insomuch that he was about to go forth against all the land.

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23. And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did march forth with a large army, even towards the city of Bountiful; for it was his determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts of the land;

24. And supposing that their greatest strength was in e, see h, Omni 1. f, see 2k, Alma 22.

the centre of the land, therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves together, save it were in small bodies: and in this manner they did fall upon them and cut them down to the earth.

25. But behold, this march of Coriantumr through the centre of the land, gave Moronihah great advantages over them, notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites who were slain;

26. For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the centre of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moronihah had caused that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the borders.

27. But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to his desire, but they had come into the centre of the land, and had taken the capital city which was the city of Zarahemla, and were marching through the most capital parts of the land, slaying the people with a great slaughter, both men, women, and children, taking possession of many cities and of many strong holds.

28. But when Moronihah had discovered this, he immediately sent forth Lehi with an army round about to head them, before they should come to the land Bountiful.

29. And thus he did; and he did head them, before they came to the land Bountiful, and gave unto them battle, insomuch that they began to retreat back towards the land of Zarahemla.

30. And it came to pass that Moronihah did head them in their retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceeding bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain, Coriantumr was also found.

31. And now behold the Lamanites could not retreat either way; neither on the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on the west, for they were surrounded on every hand by the Nephites:

32. And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of the Nephites.

33. And it came to pass that Moronihah took possession of the "city of Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in peace.

34. And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the Judges.

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CHAPTER 2.

1. AND it came to pass in the forty and second year of the reign of the Judges, after Moronihah had established again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, behold there was no one to fill the judgment seat; therefore there began to be a contention again among the people concerning who should fill the judgment seat.

2. And it came to pass that Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, was appointed to fill the judgment seat, by the "voice of the people;

3. But behold, Kishkumen, who had 'murdered Pahoran, did lay wait to destroy Helaman also; and he was upheld by his band, who had entered into a covenant that no one should know his wickedness;

4. For there was one Gadianton who was exceeding expert in many words, and also in his craft, to carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen;

5. Therefore he did flatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place him in the judgment seat, he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the people; therefore Kishkumen sought to "destroy Helaman.

6. And it came to pass as he went forth towards the judgment seat, to destroy Helaman, behold one of the servants of Helaman, having been out by night, and having obtained, through disguise, a knowledge of those plans which had been laid by this band to destroy Helaman.

7. And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign; therefore Kishkumen made known unto him the object of his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the judgment seat, that he might murder Helaman.

8. And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of Kishkumen, and how that it was his object to murder, and also that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band, to murder, and to rob, and to gain power, (and this was their secret plan, and their combination), the servant of Helaman saith unto Kishkumen, let us go forth unto the judgment seat.

9. Now this did please Kishkumen exceedingly, for he did suppose that he should accomplish his design; but behold, the servant of Helaman, as they were going forth unto the judgment seat, did stab Kishkumen, even to the heart, that he fell dead without a groan. And he ran and told Helaman all the things which he had seen, and heard, and done.

a, see c, Mos. 29. 6--9. e, see d.

b, Hela. 1: 9. f, see i, II. Nep. 10.

c, see i, II. Nep. 10. d, vers. 3,

10. And it came to pass that Helaman did send forth to take this band of robbers and secret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law.

11. But behold, when Gadianton had found that Kishkumen did not return, he feared lest that he should be destroyed; therefore he caused that his band should follow him. And they took their flight out of the land, by a secret way, into the wilderness; and thus when Helaman sent forth to take them, they could no where be found.

12. And more of this Gadianton, shall be spoken hereafter. And thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi.

13. And behold, in the end of this book, ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi:

14. Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the "book of Nephi, from which Í have taken all the account which I have written.

CHAPTER 3.

1. AND now it came to pass in the forty and third year of the reign of the Judges, there was no contention among the people of Nephi, save it were a little pride which was in the church, which did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.

2. And there was no contention among the people in the forty and fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and fifth year.

3. And it came to pass in the forty and sixth, yea, there was much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an exceeding great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth unto the land northward, to inherit the land;

4. And they did travel to an exceeding great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water, and many rivers;

5. Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate, and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land.

6. And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber, &c.; but because of the greatness of the

g, see i, II. Nep. 10. a, see h, Omni 1. Mos. 8.

h, see f, 1. Nep. 1. b, North America,

c, see i, Mos. 8.

d, see j,

destruction of the people who had before inhabited the land it was called "desolate.

7. And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth, became exceeding expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.

8. And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land "northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south, to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea 'east.

9. And the people who were in the land "northward, did dwell in tents, and in houses of "cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land, that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their "synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings.

10. And it came to pass as timber was exceeding "scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping;

11. And thus they did enable the people in the land 'northward, that they might build many cities, both of wood and of "cement.

12. And it came to pass that there were many of the "people of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this land.

13. And now there are many "records kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large, concerning them;

14. But behold a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites, and of the Nephites, and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their prophecies, and their "shipping, and their building of ships, and their building of temples, and of 2asynagogues, and their 20sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms, cannot be contained in this work;

15. But behold, there 2 care many books and many records of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites;

16. And they have been 24handed down from one gene

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