##@¶@&*~,,                                          ,,~*&@¶@##
¶¶&&**†~,,                                          ,,~†**&&¶¶
@¶¶@&*†~,,                                          ,,~†*&@¶¶@
¶&&*††,,,,                                          ,,,,††*&&¶
#@¶@&*†~,,                                          ,,~†*&@¶@#
¶¶&&&*†~,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,~†*&&&¶¶
¶¶¶@&*†~,,             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.          ,,,,,†*@@@
@@*†,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,†*@@
#@¶@&*†~,,                                          ,,~†*&@¶@#
@@***††~,,                                          ,,~††***@@
#@¶@&*†~,,                                          ,,~†*&@¶@#
@@&&&*†~,,                                          ,,~†*&&&@@
#@¶@&*†~,,                                          ,,~†*&@¶@#