Historical information: Nephi is very explicit about the function of this set of plates. They are particularly to record the things of God, and are quite expressly not to be seen as a detailed history of his people. In fact, there are major gaps that historians would love to see filled. Unfortunately for us, Nephi refers us to the other set of plates for that information.
Why are we not told of the meeting with other peoples and the negotiations for a land to call their own? Why are we not told of the intermarriages with the local populations, and the establishment of trade that probably provided early necessities (other than food) and probably provided the knowledge of local materials to make their own necessities - such as pottery? To all of this, Nephi simply refers us to the other plates.
Unfortunately for the historically minded, even having the lost 116 pages of the Book of Lehi would likely not have given us the information we desire, as that information was part of Mormon's abridgement, and Mormon does not see that type of information as particularly relevant for his purpose either. The absence of such data is not a condemnation of the Book, it is part of the Book's explanation about itself. Such information is recorded elsewhere. We just don't have those sources.