# 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-023

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
living. And I think nearly all the milk the inhabitants
of the city has is goat's milk for I saw plenty of them
and no cows. These goats had bags as large as cows,
some of them came within an inch or 2 of the ground. We
came into the town and what first caught our eyes was a
cricket ground. Then we saw 2 very large hotels ~ one
really looked like one of our modern fine frame buildings
in Monroe ~ something like Dr. Brewer's house only much
larger. It made a beautiful appearance in contrast with
the low stone houses & shops all around. Then we came
to a nice large garden where was a very large house and
we were told that an Englishman lived there. We saw in
one small field corn that had already ripened and in
some others joining corn that looked like it was 2 or

3 weeks old. Then 2 very pretty little parks with nice
geraniums in full bloom. The climate here is the most
delightful I ever saw. I would like to have my best
girl as my wife and stay here 2 or 3 months during the
winter. I would like to climb those beautiful mountains
and stand on the top and look down on the clouds. I saw
the clouds gathered about 1/2 way up the mountains and
in some of the hollows up the side and still above were
the tops of the Mts. It was beautiful ~ Oh, my! We
went to the post office, but that place would not be
opened until 6:30 and so we went around to a market the
which was all alive with people, and there Morrison & I
laid in a supply of Oranges, apples, bananas & Figs.
Fruit is very cheap, real nice oranges just from the
trees and with a green twig or leaf on each one. Then
we came back to the P. 0. & posted our letters and took
a cab and went to a hotel and had a real good breakfast,
about 11 o'clock a.m. Then we went to the pier and I
gave the fruit to M. who went to the ship & I stayed on
land awhile longer. I wanted to go to the top of one

of those peaks but was told that the ship would start
out again about 2 o'clock and did not dare risk so after
walking out on that enormous sand mountain & came back
to the ship myself. After dinner I thought we should
start every minute but we did not get stocked up with
coal & water until 5 o'clock pam. I had plenty of time
if I had only known it. Our ship was crowded with
people who had oranges, apples, nuts, canary birds, etc.
One boy, naked, except a cloth around his loins, would
dive down into the sea and get a Frank or a sixpence
which someone would throw in. It was wonderful how he
could dive. He seemed to be only about 12 or 13 years
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
ired.

Dec. 15 - Tuesday
Arose at 5 o'clock a.m., much refreshed. Woke up Morri-
son and one or two others who were to go ashore with me.
After waiting awhile for daylight we had some bread &
butter & tea. After which we got into a skiff about 12
or 14 of us and were rowed ashore. As I said above the
cost of the trip was one Frank, about 20 cents of our
money. As soon as we landed we were accosted by 1/2
doz. or more car drivers. Boys who had 2-wheel carts &
a pony hitched to it. The park was about 2 miles or
more from the town, but there was what they call a steam
train which runs to it. The cost of riding on this is
only 1/2 a Frank. But these boys insisted that we
should ride with them, each one of course, wanting us
all to ride with him. We divided it up however, between
2 and went into town in great style. On our way to town
we passed along a huge sand bank, this is called a sand-
dune, formed by the wind blowing the sand from the sea-
shore. It was a little mountain in itself. By the way
Grand Canary Island is a real mountain, no vally scarcely
except where the town is situated on the coast. It is
the most beautiful view I ever saw in the form of a wild
landscape. The hills run up one of them six thousand
feet above the sea level - and ends in a point, just as
a volcano. The whole mountain runs up into different
peaks of this kind. No timber, but the ground seems to
be perfectly bear. However there is a little grass
growing on the sides of the Mts. where goats get there
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
old. Well, we pulled out at 5 o'clock and found our-
selves out on the ocean once more. Now we have had sup-
per/dinner on ship, and after I shall have read some more
Iwill retire. Good night and may God's loving care &
tender mercy guard over us on our voyadg.

By-the-way, I was about to forget. We got word this a.m.
that a German vessel that started from Antwerp on the
same day we did was lost ina storm off the coast of
Cape Finistere. She was bound for South America, and

had about 500 people on board, and only 40 or 50 were
saved. We missed the storm entirely, but the waves were
very high and our ship tossed and pitched very much. Am
thankful that the tossing & pitching was all.

Dec. 16 = Wednesday

This a.m. we are sailing along very smoothly. We go

down the coast of Africa (out so far that we cannot see
it) on the peaceful Atlantic. I read in the life &
letters of Sam Lapsly - most interesting they are ~ more
so of course as I expect to go over the same route if

the Good Lord permits. I sit around and talk or read
nothing to do. After supper I go to the ladies saloon
(no lady on board) and at 10 o'clock p.m. I finish reading
that book so interesting and full of the works of a
noble consecrated life in the service of the Lord. Oh,
that I could be of some good to the Master who has been
so kind to mee But I am weak and wayward. I do not

live as close to the Lord as I should. I want to be more
consecrated = do more good. In the dining saloon some
Belgians are playing c
</next_page_context>

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