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