#@@@%†~.,,                                          ,,.~†%@@@#
##@@@%†~.,                                          ,.~†%@@@##
#@@@%†~.,,                                          ,,.~†%@@@#
@@@%†~.,,,                                          ,,,.~†%@@@
@@%†~.,,,,                                          ,,,,.~†%@@
@%†~.,,,,,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,,,,,.~†%@
%†~.,,,,,,             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.          ,.~†%@@@##
#@@@%†~.,,                                          ,,.~†%@@@#
@@@%†~.,,,                                          ,,,.~†%@@@
@@%†~.,,,,                                          ,,,,.~†%@@
@%†~.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,.~†%@
%†~.,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,.~†%
@%†~.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,.~†%@