.~~:=**@@@ @@@**=:~~.
.~~:=*@@@@ @@@@*=:~~.
.....~:==@ @==:~.....
...~~~::*@ @*::~~~...
.~~:::=*@@ @@*=:::~~.
.~~:=*@@## ................ ##@@*=:~~.
.~~:=*@@## 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. ##@@*=:~~.
.~~:=*@@## ##@@*=:~~.
.~~:=*@@## ##@@*=:~~.
..~~::==*@ @*==::~~..
.~~:=*@### ###@*=:~~.
.~~:=*@@## ##@@*=:~~.
...~~:=*@@ @@*=:~~...