THE THIRD BOOK OF MORONI

1Now, when I had established my own settlement, those who joined with me in it undertook to bring timber down out of the mountains on the East side of the Valley of Mentina. And we sawed the timber and made posts and beams, boards and planks the likes of which the Nem of Mentina were wont to use in the building of houses and other structures, as also for furniture and certain useful tools.

2And we discovered that the trees of the valley were not fast growing and it became important to carefully replant the trees as we cut them, lest the mountains become a waste place. For, we had seen the same take place across the desert where Father Hagoth made his first settlement.

3For, in the days of Heinmet’s stewardship, the people there had taken all the trees in their preparations for war. And they used them up in all their preparations so that the hills and the mountains were denuded completely. And this proved to be a great folly for them, for without the trees to hold the moisture and the rains, and also to stabilize the earth, the waters ran quickly over it. And when the snows melted in the spring, the waters ran quickly into the gullies and the valleys and stayed not at all in the soil. And because of this folly, the earth did not yield up the fruits of the harvest, but became dry and burnt and the corn died but halfway to harvest. And all this because the people, in their haste to protect and defend themselves, had not taken the time to consider the needs of the land.

4And there are people in that place today, but never so many as was supported in times past because of the destruction of the forests. And in the place of many settlements and villages, as was once the state of that part of the country, there remains only one small village today. Where once there were thousands of Nem in that place, yea, tens of thousands, now there are only but a few hundred and they require assistance every year from the other cities. And all this did take place in the space of but one generation and many cities and villages which had been the home of many families of the Nem for generations were become desolate and empty.

5And we did not wish this to happen in our own valley. Wherefore, we took great care to replant three trees for every one that we cut down. And in this manner we did continue to build up the forests of Mentina. And all the people who cut trees did begin to emulate our practice.

6And the waters that came down out of the mountains each spring did continue well into the summer. And we had much water for our crops and our livestock. And behold, the shallow lake that filled the southern end of the valley continued to produce fish for meal and birds of all kinds for the table.

7And above the lake the Nem worked the ground and planted grain of all kinds. And also they did move livestock up into the hills on the west side for there was much grass there. And they ran stock in the hills from which the people made all manner of clothing from the wool and the hair, and also of which they had meat and meal.

8And also, when one crossed through the mountains which protected the Valley of Mentina on the west, there were yet other valleys. And in one just west and north of Mentina, there was a great lake around which the Nem did build many villages. Yea, the lake gathered many waters from the mountains far in the east and many villages were built up upon its shores.

9And this lake was deep and full of fish of larger size than those which inhabited the lake at Mentina. And these fish provided much food for the people. And they also planted fruit and grain of every kind along the shores of the lake, and there was much game.

10But west of the lake there are mountains that are filled with many kinds of ores. Yea, there one may find iron and copper, beryl and gold in some quantity. And these the people smelted into all manner of useful tools. And also they found and quarried stone of great beauty that proved very useful in industry and in the making of tools and of ornament.

11And again further north there was a lake of salt water like unto the sea. And this place was largely barren except in the places where fresh water did run into it. And the people did not build many settlements there, except in those places where the salt was dried and harvested. And in these places were a few settlements built up to accommodate those who made their living drying salt for trade with other cities and settlements of the Nem.

12Now, certain of the Nem saw that the Great War between the Nephites and the Lamanites had brought much destruction upon those parts of the Land Northward into which it had moved. But, when the Nephites had all been destroyed and the Lamanites could not support themselves after their wants, they left many horses and beasts of burden upon the land. And many of the Nem took up these horses and beasts and brought them into their own lands and husbanded them.

13And these beasts became popular for transport, both the cattle and the horses, but most especially the horses. For, upon the plains, it could be difficult to follow the great herds on foot. But with horses as swift as the herds, and requiring no special provender, they were able to greatly improve their manner of living.

14And the people of Nespelem became great in the breeding and management of these horses and they did produce them in great numbers. And behold, so proficient did they become in their management, that they did bring into breeding the production of such variations in color, in size and in form that they did greatly improve them.

15Now, among their horses there was a kind that pleased me very much. Yea, and it also pleased several of the men with whom I had established my settlement. And this kind of horse had a body all of one dark color such as black or brown but the hindmost parts were white as with a blanket. And some were almost white as with a blanket full of holes. Such was the spotting of this variety of horse and we were desirous to obtain them.

16For, they are beautiful and also easy to see. And this seemed to us a good thing here in the mountains, for they would be less easy to lose in the forests with these patterns. But this is not all. The people of Nespelem had bred these horses to be hard in the hoof such that they needed much less attention to keep them sound. And they were also shorter in the body than the horses found in Mentina and this seemed to us a better build for use in the mountains.

17Wherefore, I took a group of young men and boys, those who could be spared from the work of our mills, and went with them even up unto the people of Nespelem. And we took lumber as is used in the building of furniture and useful tools with us to trade for horses.

18And the people of Nespelem would not take our lumber, for they had much timber of their own and had no need of ours. But they did insist that we take horses with us even down into Mentina, for they were pleased that the kind of horses they had developed for their hilly and mountainous terrain might also have usefulness in the mountains and hills of Mentina. And also they were wont that the line be diversified and become not too close. And it seemed to them that some good stock from among the horses of Mentina might be introduced into the line without ruining it, and in this way, the line might be strengthened.

19And we were desirous to join with them in the breeding of these colorful horses, for there were none like them anywhere else in all the land. Wherefore, because we liked them so much and were desirous to engage with them in their further development and preservation, the Nem of Nespelem did insist that we take of all that we desired down into Mentina with us.