........-~ ~-........
.........- -.........
.......... ..........
.........- -.........
........-~ ~-........
.......-~\ ................ \~-.......
......-~\* 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 $*\~-.....
......-~\* PLANTS. BUSHES FRAME THE STRIP. THE *\~-......
.......-~\ EARTH IS BARE IN PATCHES AS LARGE AS \~-.......
........-~ YOU AND ME. ~-........
.........- -.........
.......... CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ..........
.........- TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. -.........
........-~ ~-........
.......-~\ \~-.......
......-~\* *\~-......
.....-~\*$ $*\~-.....
....-~\*$@ @$*\~-....
...-~\*$@@ @@$*\~-...