.-~^†&@###                                          ###@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@##                                          ##@&†^~-..
...-~^†&@#                                          #@&†^~-...
....-~^†&@                                          @&†^~-....
.....-~^†&                                          &†^~-.....
......-~^†             ................             †^~-......
.......-~^             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.          @&†^~-....
...-~^†&@#                                          #@&†^~-...
..-~^†&@##                                          ##@&†^~-..
.-~^†&@###                                          ###@&†^~-.
..-~^†&@##                                          ##@&†^~-..
...-~^†&@#                                          #@&†^~-...
....-~^†&@                                          @&†^~-....