These verses have been called the key to Book of Mormon geography. While there are several significant descriptions given in them, this writer feels that the following statement of the Prophet Joseph Smith, “the world will prove Joseph Smith a true prophet by circumstantial evidence, in experiments, as they did Moses and Elijah” ( TPJS, 267), has not yet fully happened in regards to Book of Mormon geography. However, we should continue to search for those evidences, being careful not to draw conclusions before all the evidence is in. Therefore, extensive comments about geography will not be included in this work. The statement of Elder Dean L. Larsen seems appropriate in this context. “I am more concerned with understanding admonitions than identifying the location of today’s geography.” A few pertinent items on geography will be noted as reasoning for the writers hesitancy to draw conclusions.
The narrow strip of wilderness from the sea east to the sea west that divided the Nephites and the Lamanites is describing only one wilderness. A second wilderness is described on the north by the land of Zarahemla through the borders of Manti by the head of the river Sidon (v. 27). It may not be clear whether the wilderness is running from the east toward the west, or whether the river Sidon is being described as running in that direction. However, other verses describe other locations on the east or the west of the river. This tells us the river is running from the south to the north. The second wilderness is again described as being at the head of the river Sidon from the east to the west (v. 29). Thus the two wilderness must not be confused as one wilderness. The second wilderness was also extensive, covering west of the land of Nephi and also west of the land of Zarahemla (v. 28). It also bordered upon the land Bountiful to the North, and even far northward to the land of desolation (vv. 29–30; italics added). The text is not clear enough to draw conclusions.
The land of their father’s first inheritance is not necessarily the same place as their father’s place of landing. The people of Lehi journeyed in the wilderness after their arrival in the land of promise (1 Nephi 18:25). How far and how long they traveled is not given in the record. (See the following general relationship diagram.)
The land of desolation being far northward is where the Jaredites were destroyed. The original people of Zarahemla were the people called Mulekites in the Latter-day Saint culture (Alma 22:30). “The place of their first landing” (v. 30) seems to be referring to the Mulekites, but it may be referring to the Jaredites. However there is another uncertainty. “They came from there up into the south wilderness” (v. 3) is again apparently referring to the Mulekites, but which wilderness is the south wilderness? Is this the first narrow wilderness, or the small part of the much larger second wilderness?
The distance of “a day and a half journey for a Nephite” has been interpreted by some to be from the east sea to the west sea. However, the journey describes the line that was fortified from the east, not the east sea, to the west sea (v. 32). The same wording is given later in the Book of Mormon (see Helaman 4:7). There may have been many more days journey toward the east sea that did not have a fortified line.
The small neck of land between the land northward and the land southward (Alma 22:33) may refer to the separation of the land of Desolation and the land of Bountiful, or it could refer to the small neck between the land of Bountiful and the land of Nephi (vv. 33–34). Again it seems to be the former, but were there two small necks of land? Mormon was not writing a geography book when he made this abridgment. Therefore, without answers to these questions, we will return with Mormon to the account of the four sons of Mosiah (see Mosiah 27:34), and their brethren (Alma 22:35).