8  Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.

  4  But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold, the Nephites had dug up a ^aridge of earth round about them, which was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.

  6  But he kept his men round about, as if making preparations for war; yea, and truly he was preparing to defend himself against them, by ^acasting up walls round about and preparing places of resort.