.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-^*$##### #####$*^-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
....~^$### ................ ###$^~....
.-~^*$#### THE ALVAR FIELDS ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### $$$##########$$$ ####$*^~-.
.....-~*## ##*~-.....
.-~^*$#### FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, THIRTY ODD ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### KILOMETERS. FROM WEST TO EAST, FOUR ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$$$$# THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, #$$$$*^~-.
.--~~**### A FOOT OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO ###**~~--.
......~^*# DUST CAN LINGER. #*^~......
.-~^*$$### ###$$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### HERE IS EARTH, CLAY, AND STURDY LOW ####$*^~-.
.-~^^^^$## PLANTS. BUSHES FRAME THE STRIP. THE ##$^^^^~-.
...--^^$## EARTH IS BARE IN PATCHES AS LARGE AS ##$^^--...
.-~^*$$$$# YOU AND ME. #$$$$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$$$$# TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. #$$$$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-----~*## ##*~-----.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.
.-~^*$#### ####$*^~-.