# 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-244

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Leopoldville - Sunday April 16 - 99

I should have mentioned that I went to see the Enspec-
teur yesterday ~ but he gave me to understand that I
could have no loads this time. So I earnestly laid my
case before him and showed him that it would probably

be the last time the boat would go to Luebo for several
months, as the water in the river was falling and that, J
had 20 bags of cowries (small sea shells used for money)
that were very heavy, and asked if he would not let
those go up at least, he said he would have another look
at his books and would let me know that pem. I have not
heard yet.

This asm. we had a big congregation. I hustled into
the church quite a number who had gathered around to
sell & buy - some of these, I am sure never saw inside
of a church before - for they were very shy and must
have thought they were going in the prison (block) and
when they were inside they looked wild ~- and instead of
sitting on the seats - sat on the floor. This afternoon
I had a large congregation of coast men and something
unusual — I had six white men in my congregation.

Good night.

Monday April 17 - 99

This a.m. I went to the P.O. and made it convenient to
pass where I could see the Inspecteur. He greeted me
kindly and asked if I had rec'd his note. I told him
nos He said he had reconsidered, and would give me 50
loads on the steamer, so I thanked him kindly and went
back home and began making preparations for getting them
to the landing. This pem. I carried down 30 cases &
will get down the 20 bags tomorrow, D.V.. Good night.

Tuesday April 18 - 99

I borrowed a boat from the captain this asm. & had my
20 bags of cowries to the river bank and then we put
them all into a boat. The steamer will not leave until
Friday. Good night.

Wednesday ~ April 19 - 99

There has been a change made in the master of the boat.
Gapt. Otto went up last trip, but this time Capt.
Sanderguard takes his old boat. He has just been to
Banana for his health. Nothing of interest today -
except writing letters ~ to the Luebo folks.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
mas. Late this afternoon
Ville de Bruxelles which is to take my loads came back
and tomorrow she will load up and Thursday she will
leave. I put on a case of matches I bought at S.A.P.V.
for Luebo which cost 100 frs. so I had 101 loads again
of one.

This a.m. the loads were taken on board and shortly
after it began to rain. I went up to see my sick friend,
and found him very feeble. He will go to Boma Friday.
I had the papers for the loads signed. I shall probably
go to Kinshasa tomorrow with the boat.

I arranged everything and when the boat blew and was
ready to go I had my bike on board and was ready too.
I went to Kinshasa. we first stopped at the custom house
and then went on to S.A.B. where some more loads were
taken on board. I left the boat then & rode my bike
down to Gordon's where I stayed until after dinner.
About 3 o'clock I started home - had a boy along with
me. I reached home about 3:30 all well.

This a.m. I went down to the beach to ascertain when the
next boat would go out - but she has to undergo some
repairs which will take several days. Today the retiring
commissaire Mr. Van Merbeke left for Europe he has been
here 3 years - his time has expired. Mr. Philipier the
sick man went down to Boma to recuperate.

I went to the beach & the boat is on the slip - Mr.
Gordon broke a piece of his wheel & sent it to me to
see if I could get it repaired. I took it to the chief
machinist & he said he would fix it for me all well -
Nothing new - bath night - good-night.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
Leo. Thursday April 20 - 99

Today I went to the P.O. posted my letters, went to the
bach and had a look around the Portugees mail will
probably be up tonight and we hope to have letters from
home. Sophie made a cake & I took it to the Capt. this
pem.» These people prize a little delicacy. Good. night.

Friday April 21 - 99

This a.m. just as I was getting up a boy came to the
door & said "Nkanda® meaning book or letter I received
them and there was a letter from Mother Wright - good
news ~ thanks. None from Flora we have not heard from
her for a long time. Our lettre was telling of Lillas
visit to Boston - & father sending papers. Sophie had
a letter from another missionary society in Ky. About
the time I was dressed I heard the boat whistle and I
wanted to go to Kinshasa - so I mounted my bike and
went to the boat - got there just in gime -— got home
again about 1 o'clock. About 2 o'clock papers came
Christian Endeavor from Flora ~ Boston paper from father-
the Missionary Ch. Observer - So. W. Presby & others.
good night - all well -

Saturday April 22 - 99

Yesterday the Frincess Clemontine came in from Stanley
Falls. I did not go down to the beach ~ this p.m. I
went down ~ but did not see the capt. as he had gone
to Ndolo for a broken down boat. I gave a sick man
some Castor oil. I went to see him after supper - a
long walk, He was in considerable pain, but had not
taken the oil - and preferred to suffer all night to
be releved.

Sunday, April 23 - 1899

at the Gongo serv
</next_page_context>

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