# 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-276

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Monday Aug. 14 ~ 99

Quite busy this day - geing to the state & traders &
doing seme business - get 2000 francs frem Pertugees
Had some bills to pay the state for transpert up the
Kassai ~ Writing letters &e¢ very busy -

Tuesday Aug. 15 = 1899

Went to Kinshasa today te pay bills ~ did seme business
with Duteh Heuse - ate dinner at Mr. Gordon's - came
back on train - very busy - State Helliday -

Wednesday Aug. 16 - 99

Mr. Weolings went te Kinshasa, ate dinner with the
Gerdens - came back - decided to take a trip - Read jour-
ney en foet ~ Will leave Saturday next - I am still very
busy writing letters & catching up with my work generally

Thursday Auge 17 - 99

Made a list of the Westcett bres. leads to send te
Lusambe en Princess Clementine. The "Brabant" left on
Tuesday last fer Kaut Congo. Sephie made a cake today
fer the Capt. Mr. Sjoblem of A.B.M.U. came tonight.

Friday Aug. 18- 99

Fut leads en beach & receipted by Capt. - had a settle-
ment with Welings - paid up with exceptien ef 3000 read
he had paid eut for Me. While I was gene.

Saturday Aug. 19 - 99

Mr. Woolings left today. I toek oversight ef things.
Mr. Sjeblem came to beard with us until steamer came. He
is a Swede & very curious ~- he has a mandolin - he calls
it his wife. He sleeps in a heuse just eppesite ours.
He will preach tomerrew p.m.

Sunday Aug. 20 - 1899

This aom. NKaku & I had the Cenge service ~ in p.m. Mr.
Sjeblem had Eng. service & played the Mandolin & sang
seme Sweedish solea - some of the Congregation were
Swedes - service was very good.

Menday Aug. 21 ~ 99

Very busy teday doing varieus kinds of werk. I never
will get straight again + just when I think I shall
settle dewn te de something, semething new comes up --
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
tte to come in & take us down - He did
so - the 2nd of board was an Eng. man, Johnson - the
3rd a Swede - the capt. gave us the Gov. Gen. Cabin and
we ate supper with the capt. on the bridge - Nice room-
good beds Every convenience - Good night.

S.S. "Brabant" Friday Aug. 11 - 99
Last night we slept about an hour below Tchimberi and
was away early this a.m. Arrived at Kwa. Moulte about
11 o'clock Met Hainaut - Inspecteur Costumas & some
others on board. I gave a letter with a key in it to
Capt. of Hainaut to put off at Tchimberi - I hope he
will deliver it - we camp tonight at a weeding away down
this side. A nice large deck to walk about on -Good nigh

"At Home" Saturday Aug. 12 - 1899
We arrived at Leo. this a.m. about 9 o'clock & got home
about 10 - the boys met us at the beach and brought up
our things. Met. Mr. Woolings at his house we found
everything o.k. except one parrot had diede We found
everything in a mess - but we went to work straightening
around. I had expected Mr. Woolings to be ready to
leave when we arrived - but he had about decided to wait
and go up to Stanly Falls in Nov. or Dec. with Mr.
Grenfell - so we need not have hurried so much had we
known it - good night

Sunday Leo. Aug. 13 - 99
House torn up. Service by Mr. Woolings in the morning
we had dinner with Mr. Woolings. He also had another
guest a Mr. Jones - capt. of Steamboat - Englishman. In
the p.m. I had service with the English speaking people
after service some of men stopped a few minutes.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
Tuesday Auge 22 - 99

Went ever to Kinshasa en a steamer today (Brabant) she
struck a reck & le ed 3 rivets -~ I beught a Bycicle. I
sold my old one fer 200 frances before I went away in the
Spring & New I have bought a new one fer 275 francs. I
am now o.k. for riding as seon as the rains begin - which
will be in about a month - during the dry season here the
sand is se deep that it is difficult te ride a wheel -
but in wet season it is fine ~ I beught some flannel for
pyjamas.

Wednesday Aug. 23 - 99

Put seme pillars under the heuse I use for a Magazine to
keep it from falling - did a good jeb ~ alse sent fer
Quanga fer boys - sent eff letters for pest -

Thursday Aug. 24 - 99

Anether day spent in vairieus ways very busy just as we
were eating supper we heard a steamer whistle & went down
te the beach - the Pieneer had just arrived with 8 en
board 6 missionaries going home te Evrepe C.B.M. Mr.
Weolings being gone I had te make all the necessary
arrangments - came back had the baggage weighed ~ carried
to depot ready to be eff at 6 e'cleck in the A.M. Sephie
made doughnuts fer the party - geed-night all well.

Friday Aug. 25 - 99

Say the Party eff this a.m. toek chg. of boat ~ the capt
went te Matadi - I had to berrew the money fer their
passage 3500 francs ($700) sent two telegrams ~ ene te
Tumba & one to Matadi - all day werk - geod night.

Saturday Aug. 26 - 1899

Cleaned house some, making preparations fer Mr. & Mrs.
Miln bre & sister-in-law te Mrs. Clark. Sephie was n
</next_page_context>

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