.~-^^%&#@# #@#&%^^-~.
.~-^^%&#@@ @@#&%^^-~.
.~-^^%&##@ @##&%^^-~.
.~-^^%&#@# #@#&%^^-~.
.~-^^%&#@# #@#&%^^-~.
....~-^%&@ ................ @&%^-~....
.~-^^%&&## 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. ###&%^^-~.
.~-^^^^^%& &%^^^^^-~.
.~-^^^%%&# #&%%^^^-~.
.~-^%&#@## ##@#&%^-~.
.....~^%#@ @#%^~.....
.~-^^%&#@# #@#&%^^-~.
.~-^^%&##@ @##&%^^-~.