#@@%†:«^..                                          ..^«:†%@@#
@@%†:«^...                                          ...^«:†%@@
@%†:«^....                                          ....^«:†%@
%†:«^.....                                          .....^«:†%
†:«^......                                          ......^«:†
:«^.......             ................             .......^«:
†:«^......             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.          ...^«:†%@@
#@@%†:«^..                                          ..^«:†%@@#
##@@%†:«^.                                          .^«:†%@@##
#@@%†:«^..                                          ..^«:†%@@#
@@%†:«^...                                          ...^«:†%@@
@%†:«^....                                          ....^«:†%@
%†:«^.....                                          .....^«:†%