# Crowley diary faithful page transcription specification

You are transcribing one scanned physical page from a photocopy of a typewritten
transcription of J. S. Crowley's historical diaries. Produce PASS 1 only:
faithful transcription and document structure.

## Authority and scope

1. The attached current-page image is authoritative.
2. Current-page OCR is a fallible hypothesis. Correct OCR by consulting the image.
3. Neighbor context is only for detecting continuity. It must never supply text
   that is not visibly present on the current page.
4. Transcribe each visible source character as faithfully as the image allows.
   Preserve source spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, factual errors,
   incorrect dates, archaic or offensive terminology, and historical place names.
5. Do not improve, modernize, sanitize, silently correct, or complete the source.
6. Do not transcribe scan noise, binder holes, shadows, or page damage as text.
7. If no defensible reading is visible, use an `illegible` node. Never guess merely
   to avoid an uncertainty.

## Semantic structure first

Logical document blocks are the primary structure. Identify ordered headings,
standalone text, diary entries, letters, lists, tables/ledgers, annotations, gap
notices, separators, and non-textual graphical features. A diary entry or letter owns ordered semantic content
parts. Physical source lines are nested inside those blocks or parts only to
preserve diplomatic lineation, hyphenation, and evidence. Do not treat each
physical line as an independent document block.

Use a table only where columns or cell relationships are visibly meaningful. Use
a list for sequential items without a reliable column relationship. Do not infer
numeric values or repair arithmetic.

## Graphical and non-textual source features

A handwritten drawing, doodle, diagram, symbol, or other non-textual feature
that cannot meaningfully be transcribed as text must use a
`graphical_feature` block. Do not invent words for it. Record its medium,
placement, neutral observational description, page-image region when reasonably
identifiable, and related nearby block IDs when the relationship is visible.
Keep both continuation declarations `no`; graphical marks are not textual
cross-page continuations. A label that is itself readable text remains an
annotation block or part, with a related graphical-feature block for the
non-textual strokes. Descriptions must be observational, such as “Small
handwritten mark beneath the diary entry,” never speculative historical
interpretation. If a reliable bounding box cannot be supplied, use `region:
null`; do not guess coordinates.

## Physical source lines

Transcribe every visible physical text line in order. Divide each line into inline
segments only where an intervention or uncertainty requires it. Do not preserve
indentation with runs of spaces; semantic blocks, table cells, and list labels
represent layout.

For `line_end`:

- `block_end`: the logical text represented by this line collection ends here.
- `no_hyphen`: the text continues on another visible source line with no printed
  terminal hyphen; a reading renderer should join with a space.
- `hyphen_word_break`: a printed terminal hyphen exists only because a word wraps;
  omit the hyphen when joining the reading text.
- `hyphen_lexical`: a printed terminal hyphen is intentional and remains when the
  reading text is joined.
- `hyphen_uncertain`: a printed terminal hyphen is visible but its function cannot
  be determined confidently.

Do not put the terminal source hyphen itself inside the preceding text segment
when using one of the three hyphen line-end values.

Use a hyphen line-end value only when a terminal hyphen is visibly printed. Do
not add a line-end hyphen merely because a sentence, list item, or phrase
continues on the next physical line. Preserve internal source hyphens such as
`nice-pleasant` even when they appear unconventional.

## Inline distinctions

- `text`: clearly visible source text.
- `unclear`: a visible but uncertain reading. Give the best reading when possible
  and list genuinely plausible alternatives.
- `illegible`: text is present but no defensible reading can be supplied.
- `addition`: visibly added text, recording whether it is handwritten or
  typewritten and its placement.
- `deletion`: visibly cancelled text. Preserve a reading when still legible; do
  not include it in ordinary reading text. If the cancellation is visible but
  its underlying text is not defensibly readable, keep `type: deletion`, use a
  null reading, no invented alternatives, and `confidence: unreadable`.
- `correction`: an original and replacement are visibly related. Preserve both;
  do not decide that the replacement is historically true.

Confidence vocabulary:

- `high`: plainly legible with no plausible competing reading.
- `medium`: the proposed reading is likely, with a minor visual ambiguity.
- `low`: multiple readings remain plausible.
- `unreadable`: no defensible reading can be supplied.

Never invent decimal confidence scores.

## Dates and editorial interpretation

`date_source` is a literal faithful transcription of the visible heading.
`date_normalized` is separate editorial metadata:

- `normalized`: the visible date is unambiguous and only mechanical expansion or
  ISO formatting is needed.
- `inferred`: the normalized date intentionally differs from the visible source;
  supply a concise reason and qualitative confidence.
- `ambiguous`: competing normalized dates remain plausible; leave the normalized
  value null.
- `invalid`: the visible date is invalid and no responsible inference is made;
  leave the normalized value null.
- `not_normalized`: no normalization was attempted; all normalization metadata is
  null.

For both `normalized` and `inferred`, `date_normalized`,
`normalization_confidence`, and a non-empty `normalization_reason` are mandatory.
For `inferred`, the reason must state the visible conflict. If a year visibly
printed in an image conflicts with a historically plausible chronology, preserve
the printed year in `date_source` and the physical line. Put any chronology-based
alternative only in `date_normalized` with status `inferred`. Never copy an
inferred year back into faithful text.

Never alter the faithful line text to match the normalized date. Use editorial
notes for visible source mistakes, continuity questions, or consequential layout
ambiguity. Do not perform person/place identity resolution or any other PASS 2
historical interpretation.

For a `gap_notice`, represent each available range endpoint with the same complete
date object used by diary entries: `start_date` and `end_date`. Either endpoint may
be null only when it is genuinely unavailable. If the source gives `Nov. 28.` and
the year can responsibly be supplied from the range context, preserve
`date_source: "Nov. 28."`, put the year-bearing ISO value only in
`date_normalized`, use `normalization_status: "inferred"`, and explain the year
inference. Never label a context-supplied year as merely `normalized`.

## PoC regression rules and examples

- **Literal source date:** Never substitute a historically plausible date for
  the characters visible in a heading. Faithful line text and `date_source` must
  agree with the image. Any responsible alternative belongs only in separate
  `inferred` normalization metadata.
- **Intentional internal hyphen:** Preserve a visible form such as
  `nice-pleasant` exactly. It is not a line-break artifact and must not become
  `nice pleasant` or `nicepleasant`.
- **Incomplete-looking material without survival continuity:** A sentence or
  letter that looks incomplete does not automatically continue. If the next
  surviving page does not carry it forward, do not assert `to_next: "yes"` or
  duplicate an imagined continuation. Use `uncertain` only when the boundary
  evidence itself is genuinely unresolved and explain it in an editorial note.
- **Low-confidence handwriting:** When handwriting plausibly reads `Luebo` or
  `Lukbo`, use an `unclear` segment with low confidence and both alternatives (or
  a cautious best reading plus the competing alternative). Do not promote one to
  high-confidence text. If neither is defensible, use `illegible`.
- **Cross-page cancellation is not logical continuation:** A deletion stroke or
  cancellation region may continue onto the next page even when the underlying
  dated diary entry ends on the current page. Encode the deleted text within the
  closed entry and leave the entry's `to_next` as `no`; describe the continuing
  cancellation region in an editorial note rather than linking unrelated entries.
- **Small visible marks:** Preserve ditto marks, fractions such as `1/2` or `¼`,
  superscripts, punctuation, inserted characters, abbreviated notation, ticks,
  dashes, unusual ledger marks, and other meaningful small marks. Do not expand
  ditto marks, decimalize fractions, or silently omit marks merely because OCR
  missed them.

## Page boundaries and continuity

Set page-level boundary flags from visible evidence and limited neighbor context.
Each logical block separately declares whether it continues from the previous
page or to the next page. Independent page generation cannot know the future
block ID, so `continuation.previous` and `continuation.next` must always be null.
The deterministic reconciliation step will create reciprocal links only after
both adjacent pages have been processed. Never copy neighbor text onto this page.

## Mechanical output rules

- Return one JSON object matching the supplied schema and nothing else.
- Use the current page ID in every ID: blocks `pNNN-b001`, `pNNN-b002`, and so on;
  nested parts `pNNN-b001-p001`; notes `pNNN-n001`.
- Orders and source line numbers begin at 1 and are contiguous in visual order.
- For all block and part evidence objects, output exactly:
  `{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0}`.
- Set editorial-note responsibility to `model`.
- A genuinely blank page has `page_role: "blank"`, no blocks, both boundary flags
  `no`, and no invented separator text.

## Run-specific evidence

CURRENT SOURCE PAGE: page-252

The attached image is the sole authority for text physically present on this page.

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
from us. Here we passed 34 tel. statien. At ce a
steamer ef S.A.B. passed on eppeside frem us Tel.
Station 2:30 p.m. passed mouth ef Kassai River — net se
large as I had theught.© Custem heuse Kwa-meuth —
cathelic missien B. St. Mary's we stepped a shert dis-
tance abeve here and teok en some weed and came on till
6 e'cleck here we got on weed again & camped for the
night.

“Pieneer" May 21 - 99 Sunday -

About 4 e'cleck this a.m. we started eut & ran till
abeut 8 - stepped at a big sand bank 1$ heurs belew
Tehindurie - fer the day very het - until 12 - then a
breeze & ceeler. Sephie had her beys in fer service &
Mr. M°Greger had his beys gather eut in the weeds fer
service it was grand te hear Conge veices en a Sunday
Pes singing come te Jesus, The Great physician.
Nething but the bleed ef Jesus &c. we had a nice walk
en the sandy beach. Abeut 10 p.m. the men went out te
get weed & after getting eneugh te run a day we started
about 4:00 e'cleck a.m. We were ready te start fer
Tchinberie.

"“Pieneer" Cenge river ~ Menday May 22 - 99

Abeut 4:00 e'cleck this a.m. we started & arrived at
Tchimb. about 8 ~ weed was not geed & steam was lew -
before we arrived we saw the “Henry Reed" leaving - we
had breakfast with Mr. & Mrs. Christopher after which
we were shewn about the place by Madam, a most levely
church - about 9 e'cleck we left & caught up with the
Reed. Had a nice lively time raring - fer awhile - we
stepped at an island and teek en a little weed about 12
ecleck. After which we ran en again te about 9 o'clock
at night, passing the Reed again.

Pieneer Tuesday May 23 - 99

Men put en weed all night and about 5 ecleck we left -
could have gone earlier but Mr. M°Greger wished te see
the Reed start off 19t. after she passed us we started
and we arrived at Belebe about 15 min. later than she.
This is a fine station after breakfast on beat at Bolebe,
we went up te Mr. Grenfell's house - feund Mrs. G. sick.
Mrs. Crewley went in te see her. He had been having
diarrhea on the way & I get a dose ef Castor Oil fer
myself. After a visit with Mr. Grenfell he teek us up
te Mr. Scrvener's and then we went to see the printers
& printing offices & beek binders place - all levely ~
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
the steamer made our bed ready-
and tried to sleep, but the night was a restless one
for us. We did not sleep much - being strange & consid-
erable noise with the men.

Congo River - Pioneer - Thursday May 1899
Mr. Gordon had some temperature last night. We left
Gordon's beach at 7 o'clock this a.m. Did not stop at
the Customs. Around the point after leaving the Pool,
on French side, we saw "Henrietta Ntanga" Dutch House
steamer taking on wood - 12:45 p.m. At 1:45 past state
wooding place Kinpoko 6 houses in a row house for
chief near the river. At 4:00 p.m. we stopped at an
old camp used by those constructing the tel. line.
1 solder & a Senegal - left there. I went out with
them to get a buffalo but we saw none. I be't 1$ frs.
worth of beef for the boys Shot a number of times at
a croc. Here we took on wood - camped for the night.

"Pioneer" Friday May 19 - 99
Arose at 5 a.m. showed boys how to make coffee. Sophie
awoke very cold - no fever. Left at 5:45 a.m. at 9:00
a.m. we had some shots at an hippo. 10:00 a.m. stopped
on french side to get 2 men and take on wood they had
cut - away at 10:30 a.m. Killed my goat - ran on to
6 p.m. stopped on F. side just below 2nd tel. station-
camped for the night and the men cut wood - worked
hard - some mosquitoes - too much noise little rest.

"Pioneer" Sat. May 20 - 99
We left this a.m. at 6:30 & crossed to State chanut - just
after crossing the Dutch House Steamer "Mfanu Ntanga"
went on her way down - she was on opposite side of river
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
went back te Mr. Scriviner's & Mra. Crewley visited
Mrs. Whitehead - then Mr. James Clark came up & we went
te see his new heuse & over te his residence ~ after a
nice little visit we went to the beat and abeut 10
e'cleck we went sway we camped at the French Side te
get wood - & Mr. Banks with Henry Reed caught up with
us & we camped tegether.

“Pieneer" Wednesday May 24 - 99

Diarrhea net much better ~ but getting on fairly well -
left very early this a.m. Nothing of impertance hap-
pened. We camped about 1$ hours belew “Lakelela." Mr.
Whitehead's old place. I did net get up, but we went.
en in the night and arrived at "“Lekalela® about 12 mid-
night - the men went out & got seme chep - after which
we went en, and being now, Thursday, we camped again
fer the night 3 hours below New Ereba where there is a
native Evangelist.

Thursday May 25 - 99

Pioneer Friday May 26 - 99

Abeut 10 ecleck we arrived at New Irebe - we went up te
see Frank's place - he has a seheol &c — some geed tewns
near by - About an hour later Mr. Banks came on both
steamers teok wook - 4 o'clock we left - just as a ster
commenced - ene man had a great gash sawed with a cress~
cut saw in his arm & I sowed it & dressed the wound -— 3
stitches we camped fer the night some hours belew Irabe
preper.

*Pieneer® Saturday May 27 - 99

We left about 6 ecleck this aom. we could have left
earlier, but we theught Mr. Banks was behind us & would
catch up se we waited on him After we had sailed abevt
35 heurs we saw h
</next_page_context>

Return only the JSON object required by the supplied output schema.
