The Book of Helamana

Helamana Chapter 1

And now behold, it came to pass in the commencement of the fortieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephie, there began to be a serious difficulty among the people of the Nephites. For behold, Pahoranne had died, and gone the way of all the earth; therefore there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the judgment-seat among the sisters, who were the daughters of Pahoranne.

Now these are their names who did contend for the judgment-seat, who did also cause the people to contend: Pahoranne, Paanchia, and Pacumenia. Now these are not all the daughters of Pahoranne (for she had many), but these are they who did contend for the judgment-seat; therefore, they did cause three divisions among the people.

Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoranne was appointed by the voice of the people to be chief judge and a governess over the people of Nephie. And it came to pass that Pacumenia, when she saw that she could not obtain the judgment-seat, she did unite with the voice of the people.

But behold, Paanchia, and that part of the people that were desirous that she should be their governess, was exceedingly wroth; therefore, she was about to flatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their sisters. And it came to pass as she was about to do this, behold, she was taken, and was tried according to the voice of the people, and condemned unto death; for she had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy the liberty of the people.

Now when those people who were desirous that she should be their governess saw that she was condemned unto death, therefore they were angry, and behold, they sent forth one Kishkuma, even to the judgment-seat of Pahoranne, and murdered Pahoranne as she sat upon the judgment-seat. And she was pursued by the servants of Pahoranne; but behold, so speedy was the flight of Kishkuma that no woman could overtake her. And she went unto those that sent her, and they all entered into a covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no woman that Kishkuma had murdered Pahoranne.

Therefore, Kishkuma was not known among the people of Nephie, for she was in disguise at the time that she murdered Pahoranne. And Kishkuma and her band, who had covenanted with her, did mingle themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto death. And now behold, Pacumenia was appointed, according to the voice of the people, to be a chief judge and a governess over the people, to reign in the stead of her sister Pahoranne; and it was according to her right. And all this was done in the fortieth year of the reign of the judges; and it had an end.

And it came to pass in the forty and first year of the reign of the judges, that the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of women, and armed them with swords, and with cimeters and with bows, and with arrows, and with head-plates, and with breastplates, and with all manner of shields of every kind. And they came down again that they might pitch battle against the Nephites. And they were led by a woman whose name was Coriantumure; and she was a descendant of Zarahemla; and she was a dissenter from among the Nephites; and she was a large and a mighty woman.

Therefore, the queen of the Lamanites, whose name was Tubala, who was the daughter of Ammora, supposing that Coriantumure, being a mighty woman, could stand against the Nephites, with her strength and also with her great wisdom, insomuch that by sending her forth she should gain power over the Nephites— Therefore she did stir them up to anger, and she did gather together her armies, and she did appoint Coriantumure to be their leader, and did cause that they should march down to the land of Zarahemla to battle against the Nephites.

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

Therefore Coriantumure did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and did march forth with her 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. And it came to pass that Pacumenia, who was the chief judge, did flee before Coriantumure, even to the walls of the city. And it came to pass that Coriantumure did smite her against the wall, insomuch that she died. And thus ended the days of Pacumenia.

And now when Coriantumure saw that she 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 she had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all the land, her heart took courage insomuch that she was about to go forth against all the land. And now she did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but she did march forth with a large army, even towards the city of Bountiful; for it was her determination to go forth and cut her way through with the sword, that she might obtain the north parts of the land. And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land, therefore she 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.

But behold, this march of Coriantumure through the center of the land gave Moroniha great advantage over them, notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites who were slain. For behold, Moroniha had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the center of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moroniha had caused that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the borders.

But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to her desire, but they had come into the center 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 women, men, and children, taking possession of many cities and of many strongholds. But when Moroniha had discovered this, she immediately sent forth Sariah with an army round about to head them before they should come to the land Bountiful. And thus she did; and she 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.

And it came to pass that Moroniha did head them in their retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceedingly bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain Coriantumure was also found. 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. And thus had Coriantumure plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and she herself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of the Nephites.

And it came to pass that Moroniha 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. And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the judges.