..:»/$%¤##                                          ##¤%$/»:..
...:»/$%¤#                                          #¤%$/»:...
....:»/$%¤                                          ¤%$/»:....
.....:»/$%                                          %$/»:.....
......:»/$                                          $/»:......
.......:»/             ................             /»:.......
........:»             THE ALVAR FIELDS             »:........
.........:             %%%##########%%%             :.........
..........                                          ..........
.......... FROM   NORTH   TO   SOUTH,  THIRTY   ODD ..........
.......... KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ..........
.........: THOUSAND METERS.  FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, :.........
........:» A FOOT OR TWO.  NO ROOTS CAN  FESTER, NO »:........
.......:»/             DUST CAN LINGER.             /»:.......
......:»/$                                          $/»:......
.....:»/$% HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY,  AND  STURDY LOW %$/»:.....
....:»/$%¤ PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ¤%$/»:....
...:»/$%¤# EARTH  IS  BARE  IN  PATCHES AS LARGE AS #¤%$/»:...
..:»/$%¤##               YOU AND ME.                ##¤%$/»:..
.:»/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/»:.
..:»/$%¤## CROSS  IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN,  OR DON'T ##¤%$/»:..
...:»/$%¤#          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          #¤%$/»:...
....:»/$%¤                                          ¤%$/»:....
.....:»/$%                                          %$/»:.....
......:»/$                                          $/»:......
.......:»/                                          /»:.......
........:»                                          »:........
.........:                                          :.........