# 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-019

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
"Escaut" where we had to wait for several hours until

the tide comes in and now Mr. Morrison, Armstrong, Wescot
& myself have just had prayers in our stateroom no. 6,
and I came out & had some tea and it is now 10 o'clock
pem. and we are still waiting for the tide to come in so
that we can start. The passengers are all French &
German and the majority are French. They all drink wine
or Beer at meals and they have no regard for Sunday for
they play cards & drink etc. Now I am going to retire
and hope I'll have a good nights rest.

Dec. 7 = Monday

2nd day on Board. About midnight last night the tide
came in and we started out on our long journey. We had
a pleasant & quiet sail until after lunch when the big
waves began to come in and toss our ship to & fro. In
the afternoon many of us began to feel very ill, and it
was with difficulty that we kept our dinner on our
stomach. At dinner (our supper) there were very few
present many in their staterooms and others in the
smik-room drinking wine, beer, etc. I retired early
and had a fairly good night's rest.

Dec. 8 ~ Tuesday

Awoke early this a.m. and felt very badly in the abdomen.
I went to breakfast but nothing I saw that I cared to
eat. Even the sight of anything made me vomit. However
it is better to eat & vomit than vomit & not eat, for
then there is not such a strain so during the whole day
I kept this up first vomit & then eat or vice versa.

I went to meals but couldn't eat. I would eat an apple
or an orange but would throw it up immediately after.

At night I retired and rested fairly well, but Morrison
poor fellow--didn't undress.

Dec. 9 = Wednesday

Nothing much to tell but got up feeling miserably bad--
and thought how happy I would be to be in Gongo--or if
I were on American soil again, I would stay there-~but
then when I thought of the immence suffering of our
Saviour and compared that with my weakness, how frail
a human I am & what cause have I to complain? But oh
my! unless you have been seasick for four or five days
on a stretch you cannot know how miserable a fellow
gets. I am looking forward though, patiently until
the thing shall come to an end, but it still hangs on.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
s & would not be back until 10 o'clock tonight.
However, upon invitation, I made an engagement to call
tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock. I then went out and
purchased some and 2 deck chairs came back to
the hotel and wrote a letter and retired.

Dec. 6 - Sunday
I had a good nights rest last night and arose early
this a.m. much refreshed and after a hearty breakfast
I went around on rue Dr. Gage 16 to see my old friends,
Mons. & Mrs. Schoepen. I found them very pleasant and
agreeable persons and I enjoyed my visit very much. I
then went around to the hotel and we made preparations
to go on board the steamer. Edward Bohlen filling up
the cab a second time and going to the docks we had a
time getting through the crowd to the ship if we
enquired no one could ans. so we did the best we could
and finally got on board. Then we saw our luggage brought
on by the cra on - or derrick as we would call it, and
put down in the hold. After all was on we had to go
down & pick out our packages and had them put up on
deck, So that we might have them in our stateroom. I
never saw people take on so over anything as the Belgians
do over anything pertaining to the Congo. The Band
always goes out to play the ship away - that is if it is
sailing for Congo - and today although it was Sunday I
think there must have been 10000 people out to see the
ship off - citizens soldiers & all. You would never
know it was Sunday. But about 1/2 past 12 we started and
had a nice pleasant ride to the mouth of the river
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
In fact it seems to get worse and if it were not for
the love of the Saviour and for the dear friends who
are praying for me in America I would be almost tempted
to give up the ghost. No meals today can keep nothing
on my stomach, so I retire.

Dec. 10 = Thursday

Poor Morrison is in a terrible fix, he had off not his
clothes for 2 nights, he looks forlorn. I slept quite
well, but when I would awake I could hear Morrison over
the spittoon at a terrible rate gagging. I thought I
began to feel better this a.m. and drank some coffee

but that made me worse again, and all the aem. I kept
casting my bread upon the water ~ at last getting
desparate and being obedient to the advice of a French
M.D. on board I ordered a bottle of champagne & to my
great surprise and satisfaction, I did not vomit any
more today. I told Morrison what I had done and he took
a swallow of my champ. and he did not vomit any more and
slept very well.

Dec. 11 - Friday

After a good night's rest I heard Morrison up very
early and he was afraid he could not hold what little
he already had on his stomach so he ordered a bot. of
champagne and he and I both took a dose + and we went
to breakfast and I am glad to say we are now much better.
But yesterday when I ordered my champagne, a stuart who
was very sick and needed simpathy came by my door and I
called him in and offered him a dose & he said ina
most longing tones "Is it good for a sick man?" 1 told
him I tho't so and he took what I poured out for him
and ab
</next_page_context>

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