...~†&#@@# #@@#&†~...
....~†&#@@ @@#&†~....
...~†&#@@# #@@#&†~...
..~†&#@@## ##@@#&†~..
...~†&#@@# #@@#&†~...
....~†&#@@ ................ @@#&†~....
...~†&#@@# 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. @@#&†~....
...~†&#@@# #@@#&†~...
..~†&#@@## ##@@#&†~..
...~†&#@@# #@@#&†~...
....~†&#@@ @@#&†~....
...~†&#@@# #@@#&†~...
..~†&#@@## ##@@#&†~..