# 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-114

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
tt

We wish them long and happy life; Hurrah!

The most of love and least of strife;.Hurrahi
With health and strength and sorrows few,

And every good for the one which was two;

Then shout Hurrah as Crowley comes marching homeo
a

Then we repaired to our own house where we had a good
night's rest.

Sat. Dec. 4 - 97

The day was mostly spent in opening up goods and rearrang-
ing things to suit the taste of Mrs. Crowley. Nothing of
interest out of the ordinary happened. But all the boys
on the station were as proud to see us coming in as were
the white folks - an a host of friends outside of the
missionaries met us at the train to congratulate us.

Sunday Dee. 5 - 1897

At 10 o'cloek this a.m. we went to the Congo service &
Mr. Graham preached. We had just built a new chapel and
this was our first service in the new house. In the Peme
at 4 o'clock we had an English service and Mr. Jeffreys
preached. In the evening - as it was the 1st Sunday in
the month, we had communion service. This service was
held in Mr. Wooding's house and was conducted by Dr. Sny-
der. We had a most enjoyable sunday - for our 18t in
Conge, after our marriage.

Monday Dec. 6 - 1897

We opened up our dished to-day and put them in the pantry,
and they make a beautiful appearance on the shelves. We
are going to hang up some nice creton for curtains, and
in a short time our home will be a model. Nothing of
importance happened today - Exeep a big washing.

Tuesday - Dec. 7 ~ 1897

After breakfast it began raining and rained for some hours
and in fact is raining now. My wife is at my left in the
dining room hemming some table linen and Dr. Snyder is in
his room writing on the type-writer. Today, we expect
the Gov. General & Maj. Thys & Gov. of French Congo and
all the flags are up.

Tuesday continued = The expected, honorable gentlemen came
and we all (missionaries) went down to see the train come
in. I had the pleasure of shaking hands and exchanging a
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
t up Sophie and we stayed to dinner
with him. He was so kind and insisted on us staying all
night so we might be with him in the a.m. and also save a
long trip to the depot, which was very acceptable.

Friday Dec. 3 - 97
This a.m. after a nice breakfast with Mr. Harvey, who so
kindly entertained us the day and night before, we boarded
the train and was soon on our way to Tumba. It was a long
and tiresome journey, but we stood it O.K. and when we
arrived at Tumba, we were received kindly and hospitably
by the missionaries thereMr. & Mrs. Graham & Mr. Pinnock
of B.M.S. Mr. & Mrs. Wooding and little baby & Mr. Morgan
of C.B.M. We found our house all decorated nicely and a
number of nice presents. My, but it was so nice for my
wife, who had formed another idea of the things she would
find at Tumba.
Forward = Home at last - in our own house. Mr. & Mrs.
Graham insist that we take our meals with them until we
get settled. They had a nice supper ready for us on our
arrival and after supper this is the song they sung.
[illegible: 1 line]
Now Crowley comes marching home again; Hurrah!
This time he brings a wife with him. Hurrah!
Miss Wright and he are now made one,
Their married life is well begun;
Then shout Hurrah as Crowley comes marching home.
[illegible: 1 line]
Their single misery is over now; Hurrah!
He led her off with smile and bow; Hurrah!
She's Crowley now for good or ill,
She's ceased to be Wright but she's more right still;
Then shout Hurrah as Crowley comes marching home.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
few words with 2 of the R.R. Directors - the others were
unapproachable. Dr. Snyder & Mr. Jeffreys are making prey
arations to go to Stanley Pool.

Wednesday, Dec. 8 ~ '97
A beautiful day - quite pleasant - Mrs. Crowley and I are
to have the missionaries take tea with this Peme at 4
o'clock. Mrs. Crowley very busy all the morning preparing
for her guests. Had quite an experience making doughnuts.
very nice (?) First experience in Congo you know - and
with nothing but a small kerocene stove to cook them on.
At 4 o'clock we had a real nice tea - our beautiful china
set loeked well - after tea we had a good time. Dr.
Snyder, Mr. Graham & Mr. Wooding took photographs of the
house and people and we had a lovely & lively time. Tonigh
Dr. Snyder & Mr. Wooding are trying to develop some. Two
services are going on - one in Congo & one in English
language. Dr. Snyder & Mr. Jeffreys are ready to go to-
morrow p.me we would like to have them stay longer with
vs but they say it is impossible - we are still taking
our meals with Mr. & Mrs. Graham we are both exceedingly
well. We give thanks to the Lord for all. Stephen &
Sophie.
Thursday Dec. 9 - 1897
We have had a very pleasant day ~ but exceedingly busy.
Sophie has been darning Dr. Snyder's stockings and mend-
ing his clothes getting everything ready for him to start
on his journey to the Pool.

After a hard time trying to scrape up a caravan for
him and Mr. Jeffreys we managed to get them off by 5
o'clock this pom. by sending some of my
</next_page_context>

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