# 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, and separators. 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.

## 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.
- `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-052

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Monday, Jane 18 - 1897

Stayed around Londe ell day until about 4 o'clock when
Mr. Clippingdale came down, and while we were drinking
some tea Mr. Frank's fever got higher and he became
frightened and sent over for me. You see I am about to
be a physician all at once. I went over with Mr. Clip-
Pingdale and his temp. was 103°F. with a terrible head-
ache, and pains in the kidneys &¢. We bathed his heed

in cold water and he became more easy. I then gave him
a hot sponge bath which saused a sweat. Then I injec-
ted some water into his bowels which relieved him very
much and he became quite easy. We suceeded in reducing
his temperature and gave him the required amount of
Quinine. We decided, however, that he had sun fever.
After chop - whieh lasted about 2 hours from 7 to 9 -

and then an hour of conversation around the table ~ which
made it about 10 o'clock I went home, but Mr. Clippingdale
stayed all night.

Tuesday, Jane 19 ~ 1897

Early this a.m. before breakfast I went with Mr. Lagerin
up to Matadi and I stayed there & chopped at breakfast &
dinner with with Mr. Clippingdale. I went down to the
ship and we sew the Capt. of Ed. Bohlen, Capt. T abber-
back. About noon it came quite a hard rain which lasted
for some time & after the rain was over we went down in
his boat to se Mr. Frank whom we found much better and
very cheerful & hopeful. We then came back to Londe and
I got out & Mr. C. went to Matadi again. I found a let-
ter from me from Morrison who is at Tumba now and will
go to Stanley Pool as soon as he can get carriers. Am
well thank the Lord for his goodness to mee Good night.

Wednesday, Jan. 20 ~ 1897

Soon after breakfast this a.m. Mr. Lagerin came to me
with a large envelope, a small one and 2 postal cards.
The large one contained some documents in regard to the
land at Tumba together with a letter from Bro. Morrison,
the smaller one and the two postal cards were from
Phipps. After reading them I went over to see how my
patient wasand took with me some nice oser. I found
him entirely free from fever. After staying a little
while I went back to Londe & it was dinner time. By
the way, Mr. M°Kenney of the I.M.A. after a fortnight's
visiting up country at the different stations came in
all wet for he had been in all the rain. He is a real
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
y. But it was 10 o'clock
before he and his boys got started. I verily believe
if people live in Africa long it would take the whites
as long to do anything as the blacks. It certainly
requires patience to watch them work, especially if one
is in a hurry. Well we went to the lumber pile with nine
men & Mr. Lagerin went to see the head man of the R.R.
to find where we should put it - by the way is the-
same one that told me we must put it in the station if
we wanted it to get off to Tumba - and he came back-
saying that the head man said he had no room for it in
the station now. It is miserably bad dealing with the
R.R. You see they are so busy with there own work that
they have but little time for others. You certainly have
to pay money for anything that they do. Then I went down
to the ship to make another inquiry about my box, but
it was not found. I then signed one package short - but-
I think it will be found in another lot of boxes which
are piled up. We then came back to Londe and I was
treated to a glass of nice malala (limeade). The rest
of the day past off without anything of interest happening
Now I will ask God's blessing on me as I lay me down to
sleep, and may he watch over all at home. Also Good--
night.

A very pleasant day -did not do much. In the p.m. went
to N Kala Kala and found Mr. Frank sick of a fever. I
began administering to his wants and relieved him very
much. I stayed to chop and returned to Londe. about 10
o'clock p.m. leaving him feeling very well.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
nice young fellow. In the p.m. I went to the Ship
Edward Bohlen which is to leave for Europe tomorrow
asm. @ 5 o'clock. The missing Box has not been found &
may be on Theckla Bohlen. A boy, the youngest of those
engaged in the ship's service, age 16, died last night
at 12 o'clock. I feel for his parents when they will
hear the news. It is too bad, but sooner or later we
must all go. May our hearts always be right and ready
to be delivered to the Lord who was so kind as to give
us life and preserve us thus far and may we be faithful
servants in His name. After supper I read awhile
and went to bed.

Thursday, Jan. 21 ~ 1897

This aem. I looked after all the letters and correspond~
ances of A.P.C.M. at Londay ~ and found replies to some
letters in French. In the pem. I went up to Fukufuku
and met Mr. D. Angremond, and when it was cooler, he .
eame home with me but only stayed a short while. After
supper I went over to N'KalaKala and found my patient
Mr. Frank entirely well. I came baek about 10 O'clock
and retired for the night.

Friday, Jan. 22 - 1897

As the boat was going across the river this a.m. with
some carriers for NGangila I went over and stayed with
Mr. Bretschnieder of the Eng. House ~ Chaunsy — until
after chop. Had rost Duck, fish, native beans, plums,
rich cafe &&~. About 3 p.m. the boat came over after an-
other caravan, and I came back to Londe. I read french
until bed time &e. Good night.

Saturday, Jan. 23 - 1897

About 5 o'clock this aem. the alarm sounded an
</next_page_context>

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