###&**\~^.                                          .^~\**&###
###&**\~^.                                          .^~\**&###
#&*\~.....                                          .....~\*&#
&***~.....                                          .....~***&
###&**\~^.                                          .^~\**&###
###&**\~^.             ................             .^~\**&###
&&**~^....             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.          .....~\**#
###&**\~^.                                          .^~\**&###
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#*\^......                                          ......^\*#
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###&**\~^.                                          .^~\**&###