Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/216

Laman. him to have been the son of the monarch who made the treaty with Zeniff, he came to the throne about B C. 160, and immediately commenced war with the Nephites in the land of Lehi-Nephi. As long as Zeniff lived the Lamanites were unsuccessful, and were driven back to their own possessions with great slaughter; but when the weak and corrupt Noah reigned in the place of his father, they became more successful. Their first invasion in Noah's reign was, however, unsuccessful, but after his people had slain the prophet Abinadi, the Lord used the Lamanites to scourge them for their iniquities. The hosts of this people came upon Lehi-Nephi from the borders of Shemlon. Noah ordered a precipitate retreat into the wilderness; but being incumbered with women and children, the Lamanites overtook them. The coward king commanded that the women and children should be left to the mercy of the invaders, and that the men continue their flight. Some obeyed but many refused. Those who remained with their families caused their women to plead with the Lamanites for their lives. Then the latter, charmed with the beauty of the Nephite women, had compassion on them, spared their lives, but held the Nephites in tribute—one-half of all they possessed was the amount of the Lamanite exaction. Laman set guards around the land of Nephi, to prevent the escape of any of the Nephites; their tribute was too valuable to the indolent Lamanites to permit of its decrease or stoppage. In this condition things remained for two years.

At this time there was a romantic spot in the land of Shemlon, where the Lamanitish maidens where in the habit of gathering on pleasure bent. Here they sang, danced and made merry with all the gaiety of youthful innocence and overflowing spirits. One day, when a few were thus gathered, they were suddenly surprised, and twenty-four of their number were carried off by strange