# 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-211

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Laopoldville

Wednesday Nov. 16 - 1898

%. S. Goodwill came down to Leopoldville. Mr. & Mrs. Gor-
don & Lr. Fleming were on board - Mr. Smith of B.M.S. &
Mr. Field ~ & Mr. Colquehoun of C.E.M. were aboard & were
on their way home - had served a term of 3 years - we
went to the State beach to meet them & rode up to our
beach where they stopped until after dinner - they all
took dinner on the boat as the stay would be too short
for us to prepare for then. All went off about 1:30 p.m.
They all came up to our house & stopped a few minutes.
All well - good night.

Thursday Nov. 17 - 1898

I went down to the beach this a.m. I got acquainted with
the capt. of the "Rot des Belges" & he said he would go te
Kinshasa about 1:30 & I could go with him. About that
time I heard the blow of the steamer - Mr. Woolings had
gone to Kinshasa on foot & I had to count out his rods &
send for Quanga for both him & myself - I went to the
steamer but it was late getting off - I went to the State
place at Kinshasa - but had not time to go down to Gor-
don's, it looked like rain & we hurried back. Mr.
Woolings, Mr. Morrey & Mr. Farris trudged in on foot.

Friday Nov. 18 - 1898

Hr. Gordon came over this a.m. & Mosaw one of the girls
he has and one of the boys got married by the judge a
happy day with them. Mr. G's boys found a man who had
owed him for more than a year & they caught on to his
stuff and he scon brought up the Quanga which he owed.
Mr. Gordon came back from the state & went home as soon
as he could for he had to load the steamer. Good-night.

Saturday Nov. 19 - 1898

An eventful day, it rained ~ Pioneer went away - Mr.
Howell sent me 2 nice large mats and several smaller ones
very nice indeed. After dinner 1 was cutting my hair ~
Sophie was halping me. I had the shears in my lap while
she was trimning the back of my head with clippers. I
moved & the shears began to fall I tried to catch it and
in so doing the point of it struck into the centre of’ the
palm of my hand (right) it made it very sore, but it will
be ok in a few days I hope. I am writing now & it does
not hurt me. Good night.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
see us tomorrow - so
we hope to be up early in the morning.

Sunday Nov. 13 - 1898
Before we got up this a.m. Dr. Fleming came she came over
in the hammock. we got up and breakfast was nearly ready-
we have a first class boy for cook. He is everything -
we opened a tin of salmon extra for company - the Dr.
went with me to church Sophie did not go - Mr. Wooling
preached - we had a good dinner chicken a native potato -
very fine and other things - nice tapioca cream - Sophie
had her S.S. class this p.m. & the Dr. & I went to the
English service - Mr. Wooling had the service - I had it
last Sunday & after service Dr. went back to Kinshasa
she is staying with Mrs. Gordon, you know. Mr. Woolins,
Morrey, Faris, Dr. Fleming & ourselves were all to after-
noon tea with us at 3 o'clock Now we must have the boys
in for Bible Reading & prayer - Sophie has just finished
her texts. Good night

Monday Nov. 14 - 1898
Went to look after some goods - paid 11 francs for bring-
ing the Wescott Bros. loads from Kinshasa - 2 loads came
in for them & I got them off too. Did the necessary work
about the place and all went well.

Tuesday Nov. 15 - 1898
The King of Belgium's birthday - Flags out - a holliday -
I sent some doughnuts to the Commissaire du District Van
Meirbeke - saw the capt. of the boat & he was sick In
p.m. I went to the boat again & took him some mixed bis-
cuits & prunes - he was better - about 2 o'clock the boat
left Ville d'Anvers - sent boy to Kinshasa with clothes
to be washed-
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
Laopoldville

Bunday Nov. 20 - 1898

I did not go to services today as I felt somewhat like
having a fever so I stayed in & took medicine and nursed
myself. It is a kind of a damp cool day In fact it has
rained a good portion of the day.

Monday Nov. 21 - 1898

I did not do very muvh today - Kept quiet and am feeling
quite well did not eat very much for breakfast & dinner -
but for supper Sophie fixed up some nice cream toast & I
ate heartily Now I shall say good night - God bless you
all

Tuesday Nov. 22 - 1898

The Steamer “Brabant” is billed to go out tomorrow & Mr.
Wooding has asked me to go with him to the commissaire
and ask for passage for Mr. Morrey who has been waiting
for 2 months - the commandant gave permission at once -
So I suppose h will go. In the pom. I went to Kinshasa
on S.S. Ville d&Anvers. I saw the Custom officer and
transacted some little business, came home about 6 o'clock
all well - good night.

Wednesday Nov. 2% ~ 1898

Morrey took his loads down early this asm. but when the
boat was ready to go they did not allow him to take pas-
sage ~ so he will be here for some days yet I guess -
Nothing of importance took place we are all well - good
night

Thursday Nov. 24 ~ 1898

This asm. Steamer Ville de Bruxelles came in and with her
ceme a Mr. Lleyd - church Missionary of England. He came
all the way across Africe - Has been in Africa 5 years -
new on his way home. He told us some of his experiences -
quite a number he had too - I went te see the commissai
</next_page_context>

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