The Passage into the land Northward
ALMA 22:35 [50:34]: And it came to pass that they [army sent by Moroni] did not head them [Morianton and his people], until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation: and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward; yea, by the sea, on the west, and on the east.
- Commentary: The phrase "on the" as used such as "on the west" and "on the east" refers to a direction relative to the location (in this case the location is the place where the army sent by Moroni headed-off the group of people led by Morianton). So, the army was split into two parts, one part to the west and one part to the east of the passage into the land northward.
ALMA 24:10 [52:9]: And he [Moroni] also sent orders unto him [Teancum], that he should fortify the land Bountiful, and secure the narrow pass which led into the land northward, lest the Lamanites should obtain that point, and should have power to harass them on every side.
- Commentary: The land Bountiful was next to the land Desolation. This would indicate the narrow pass was located somewhat near the border of the land Desolation and land Bountiful where it could be defended by an army securing the land Bountiful. It also describes that the pass leads to a way that can go around the land Bountiful so that the Lamanites could attack the army of Teancum from opposite directions.
The Passage into the land Southward
MORMON 1:61 [2:29]: And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward; yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward.
MORMON 1:69 [3:5]: And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward.
MORMON 1:70 [3:6]: And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all our force.
The land Desolation
ALMA 30:6 [63:5]: And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceeding curious man, therefore he went forth, and built him an exceeding large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the narrow neck which led into the land northward.
- Commentary: These passages are both located on the borders of the land Desolation, which is located in the narrow neck area and by the sea West shore.
The key geography points are:
- One passage that is on the northern border of the land Desolation and that leads into a land northward.
- One passage that is on the southern border of the land Desolation and that leads into a land southward.
- This land Desolation where both passages are located is located in a narrow neck area by a sea West coast.
There is only one narrow neck location where this geography exists in the world - the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico. The two passages described did not exist on maps available in 1830.
- The narrow passage into the land northward is the valley of the Tehuantepec River which flows up the current location of San Pedro Totolapan. From there, there are two possible routes to Oaxaca and further into the land northward. This river valley is the only access into the land northward for 185 miles the eastward direction and 530 miles in the westward direction. THis makes it a very strategic location to defend.
- The narrow passage into the land southward is a narrow valley that follows the route of present day Highway 1900 from Arriaga to Tierra y Libertad. This valley pass is the only pass through the mountains for 150 miles in either direction making it a very strategic location to defend.
Passage to the Land Northward (Isthmus of Tehuantepec)
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Passage to the Land Southward (Isthmus of Tehuantepec)
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