Moroni tells us that the serpents were destroyed in the reign of Lib. Realistically, the plague of the serpents would have receded after the return of the rains and the ending of the drought. If it did not really happen during this time, who would Moroni say that it does? Moroni is noting that during the reign of Lib there is a movement southward. That was the direction that he last mentioned as being “hedged up” by the serpents. Therefore, to allow this southward movement, Moroni understands that he must remove the barrier that was placed there. Moroni’s story works, even though the history may have been different. Moroni is consistent in piecing together his text. This tells us that it is not simply the result of haphazard story-telling, but a considered understanding of the Jaredite record. Moroni’s manipulation of the Jaredite record is considered, and he would have considered it faithful to the original.
The movement south is justified as a hunt, and is further justified by the southward movement of the animals during the drought. The drought, however, has been over for around two hundred years. There was clearly an indication in the Jaredite record of the southward movement, but Moroni interprets the reason according to his understanding of the story.
Historical: Around the time period that Moroni ascribes an interest in the lands to southward, there is a movement of Zoquean speakers into the Grijalva valley. This is significant for the understanding of the cultural connections of the Mulekites and the Jaredites. This is approximately the period when the Mulekites will appear in the Jaredite lands. They will enter that culture, and absorb culture and language. They will move up the Grijalva valley to found Zarahemla. While it is doubtful that the Mulekites landed and immediately moved up the Grijalva, this southern-looking perspective tells us that the Jaredtie peoples were looking in that direction. The Mulekite move to Zarahemla was simply a part of a larger cultural movement, beginning approximately at this time.
Chronology: The average-reign chronology places Lib at between 620 and 590 B.C.