@@@&:::«~. .~«:::&@@@
@@@@&*:«~. .~«:*&@@@@
@@@@&*:«~. .~«:*&@@@@
@&&&**:«~. .~«:**&&&@
#@@@&*:«~. .~«:*&@@@#
#@@@&*:«~. ................ .~«:*&@@@#
@@*:::~... 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. .~«:*&@@@#
@@@@&*:«~. .~«:*&@@@@
#@@@&*:«~. .~«:*&@@@#
##@@@*:«~. .~«:*@@@##
@@@@&*:«~. .~«:*&@@@@
@@@&*:«... ...«:*&@@@
@@**«..... .....«**@@