,,,^:††%#¶                                          ¶#%††:^,,,
,^-:†%¶@##                                          ##@¶%†:-^,
,,,,^::%¶@                                          @¶%::^,,,,
,^-:†%#¶@#                                          #@¶#%†:-^,
,^-::::%%¶                                          ¶%%::::-^,
,^-:†%#@##             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ##@#%†:-^,
,^-:†%#¶@@             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.          ¶#%†----^,
,,^^:::%%#                                          #%%:::^^,,
,^-:::†##¶                                          ¶##†:::-^,
,^-:†%#¶@#                                          #@¶#%†:-^,
,,,,^---†#                                          #†---^,,,,
,^-:†%#¶@#                                          #@¶#%†:-^,
,^-::†%#¶@                                          @¶#%†::-^,