B. H. Roberts
"Here it will be proper to dispel what I regard as a misapprehension of the extent of Nephite occupancy of the north continent, at this period of Nephite history. From the fact that in the foregoing quotation it is said that the Nephites removing from Zarahemla traveled 'to an exceeding great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water, and many rivers,' some have supposed that the Nephites at this time extended their colonization movements as far north as the great lakes in the eastern part of North American and from the fact that it is also said that 'they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south, to the sea north, from the sea west, to the sea east,' it has been supposed that these expressions meant to convey the idea that the Nephites at this time had extended their settlements over both continents; and that 'from the sea south to the sea north' meant from the sea at the southern extremity of South America (south of Cape Horn), to the Arctic Ocean, north of North America.o There is no evidence, however, in the Book of Mormon that warrants such a conclusion as to the extent of Nephite occupancy of the western hemisphere in 46 B.C. Allowance for hyperbole must be made in the expression, 'They began to cover the face of the whole earth,' since the facts set forth in the whole history of the Nephites in the Book of Mormon are against the reasonableness of such an expression if taken literally." (New Witnesses for God, p. 229)