....-:*$£# #£$*:-....
.....-:*$£ £$*:-.....
......-:*$ $*:-......
.......-:* *:-.......
........-: :-........
.........- ................ -.........
.......... 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. ##£$*:-...
..-:*$£### ###£$*:-..
...-:*$£## ##£$*:-...
....-:*$£# #£$*:-....
.....-:*$£ £$*:-.....
......-:*$ $*:-......
.......-:* *:-.......