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........,=                                          =,........
.......,=†             ................             †=,.......
......,=†¤             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.                =,........
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.......... CROSS IT  TO GET TO  THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ..........
..........          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ..........
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