Because of the dissension and contention in the land, many people migrated to the land northward. The Book of Mormon does not identify where they went to in that land, other than to record that it was “an exceedingly great distance” from Zarahemla and near “large bodies of water.” Other information concerning the desolation of the area and the former inhabitants is found in Mosiah 8:8 and Mosiah 21:26-27 (see Commentary 2:273-74).