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