#@%%%*\«~.                                          .~«\*%%%@#
#%%*«.....                                          .....«*%%#
###@%*\«~.                                          .~«\*%@###
###@%*\«~.                                          .~«\*%@###
###@%*\«~.                                          .~«\*%@###
@@*\«~~~..             ................             ..~~~«\*@@
@%\«~~....             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.          .~«\*%@###
###@%*\«~.                                          .~«\*%@###
##@*«.....                                          .....«*@##
@%*«««....                                          ....«««*%@
###@%*\«~.                                          .~«\*%@###
#@@%\~....                                          ....~\%@@#
@@%\««....                                          ....««\%@@