.^~†*%#@##                                          ##@#%*†~^.
.^~†*%&#@#                                          #@#&%*†~^.
......~*%#                                          #%*~......
.^~†*%&#@@                                          @@#&%*†~^.
.^~†*%#@##                                          ##@#%*†~^.
.^~†*%%&&@             ................             @&&%%*†~^.
....^~†%#@             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.          #@#&%*†~^.
......~†%&                                          &%†~......
.^~†*%&#@#                                          #@#&%*†~^.
...^††%&&&                                          &&&%††^...
......^†*&                                          &*†^......
.^~††*%%&&                                          &&%%*††~^.
.^~†*%&##@                                          @##&%*†~^.