The departure of the sons of Mosiah from the land of Zarahemla is not only chronicled in Alma 17:6, but is also recorded in Mosiah 28:9. Their departure is recorded as happening sometime near the first year of the reign of the judges in Mosiah 29:44; however, Alma 17:6 mentions that they had "taken leave of their father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges. Mosiah2, the father of these sons and the one who gave them permission to go, apparently ruled from the local land of Zarahemla, so their journey probably began there.
In Alma 17:9 it says that the sons of Mosiah "journeyed many days in the wilderness" apparently before they reached the "borders of the land of the Lamanites" (Alma 17:13). Alma 22:27 seems to imply that this wilderness they traveled in was the narrow strip of wilderness which divided the land of the Lamanites from the land of Zarahemla. If so, then the "many days" of travel would have to change our perspective of the phrase "narrow strip of wilderness." Perhaps the "narrow strip" was not so narrow.
One might also ask, What made the "borders of the land of the Lamanites" a recognizable place? Were these the borders of the land of Nephi near where the land of Mormon was said to have been located (Mosiah 18:4, Alma 5:3)? We might assume as much in a general way, as it hadn't been too many years since Alma1 had been there. [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Alma 22:27] [See Appendix A--Chronology] [See Geographical Theory Maps]