# 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-016

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Dec. 2 - Wednesday

I stayed in all the morning & read for Mr. Sort the
Dane until 12 n. and then Morrison came in and we had
a little chat. I then went out & had my shoes fixed
while I waited ' also had dinner then I put out to find
some books but had to walk a long way and had to leave
off the important ones. I then came back to my hotel
& read until time to retire.

Dec. 3 - Thursday

After a rather late breakfast, I went out with Mr. Sort
and we went first to the Imperial theatre in order to
procure seats for the night but all were engaged. Then
we went to a Publishers and I purchased several. I then
left him and went to the National picture gallery. I
will not undertake to tell about the pictures only they
were grand. I then wended my way to Mr. Whytes and after
waiting an hour Morrison came ine Then I went back to
the hotel and finding Mr. Sort, I accepted an invitation
from him to go to the Imperial Theater where we saw the
Great Monte Christo played. Some of the grandest
pictures I ever saw ~ and the richest costumes in ap-
pearance. The figures and tableaux were beautiful.
After the play and going into the street we found it
raining and when we found a bus on which we could ride
it was full on the inside so we had to get on top. The
Imperial is gorgeously fixed up - it is a most elegant
building. After visiting with Mr. 8. in his room I
retired.

Dec. 4 ~ Friday

After breakfast this a.m. I got a cab and we moved

that is our trunks to the Great Eastern depot and left
them until evening. Then we went to Mr. Whytes and
attended to the winding up of owr business and got into
a cab and went to the Harly House, Dr. Guiness! School
Missionary - where a farewell meeting was held for a
Mr. Armstrong, student and two Africans Congo natives ~
who had been attending school at the Harley House and
then the meeting was a most glorious success singing
lots of it both standing & kneeling - a bible reading
& lecture by Dr. Guiness - a little talk from 2 or 3
missionaries who had already been to Africa - a talk
from Mr. Armstrong, one of the native Africans, Mr.
Morrison & myself. Then we were dismissed and Dr. G.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
eard
quite a good sermon but I think the Dr. thinks himself
awful big and appears so. They have a very large quire
in the gallary which comes around over the pulpit & Mrs.
Parker sits in the middle & leads it. After the sermon
I came home and after reading several chapters in
George Proctor the teetotaler, I retired.

Nov. 30 - Monday
Arising late this a.m. & being somewhat tired and the
sights becoming a little monotonous I sat me down and
wrote some letters and then read some more in the
(Teetotaler) & then read some for a good man who is
from Denmark and who is trying hard to learn English.
I did not go out after dinner but stayed in the house &
read. Retired early.

Dec. 1 - 1896, Tuesday
The above answers for today. I happened to get the days
mixed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nov. 30 - Monday - I started out this a.m. to find my
Aunt but failed - this is my 3rd attempt - so then I
went to the Zoological gardens and did not find them
any better than the gardens in Cincinnati, O. However
there are some animals there that are not in the one
at Cin. Then I started for my Hotel but came out another
gate from the one & went in and came a way in the wrong
direction & walked for some time but saw nothing that
seemed familiar and so began to inquire. I turned
around and walked in an other direction for some time
until I came to the bus line then I got on one of them
and came to the hotel. I read all the early part of the
night and retired early.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
had us to go and take tea with him. After tea we went
to the Coborn St. Station and rode on train to Liverpool
St. Station and went down to Mr. Whytes and got the rest
of our luggage & then went to the depot about 8 o'clock
pem- where we were joined by Mr. Armstrong and his 2
native African friends whom he had under his care. A
crowd of students and others came to see us off and at
the door of the carriage in which we were to ride the
crowd stood & sung many humns until the train was ready
to start and when the Conductor came and told us to get
in we shook hands all around the "God bless you" were
numerous and from the hearts of all ~ a large crowd of
looker's on were there from curiosity, I suppose, but
the parting could not help making an impression on them.
After getting into the car the last good old song was
"God be with you till we meet again." Then we only
made one stop until we got to Harwich, Eng. where we
went from train to the ship which carried us to Antwerp.
But the ship had not started and gone more than 1/2 an
hour when it began to pitch. I had already retired to
keep from getting sick but I had not been in bed long
until I began to feel very queer. If you have ever
been sea sick you know how it feels ~ and there was a
basin ready and I had to be casting my supper and all I
had eaten, I think, since I came to England into it

and I had no rest during the whole night. I had to
vomit I think every ten minutes. And in the morning I
was not well. I could eat no bre
</next_page_context>

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