# 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-084

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Monday 12*” april - '97

This am. about 3 o'clock Bros. Morgan & Finock came &
woke me up & told me that Bro. Popel had passed away &
we consulted about aplace to bury him & I advised them
to bury him in the state cemetery. I sold Morrison's
Gun te Mr. Ohlensehleiger Chef B. Keeper of the Duteh
House Gun & Crgs for 130°° fr. I also seld my pistol
etg's & belt for 125°° frs. but have not ree'd pay yet
for the Latter. Dr. Lagris paid me for the paint & tar
this peme At 3:00 clock p.m. there was service at the
house of Mr. Popel led by Mr. Bently, songs were sung &
prayer was offered by Mr. Morgan. A large crowd was
there & many could not get into the house. The corps
was followed by a large crowd of whites & colored people
to the cemetery & as we were nearing the grave the Acra
& Sierra Leone men began singing safe in the Arms of
Jesus safe on his gentle breast &c. The grave is ina
very pretty place in the cemetery - as you approach the
cemetery you walk between two rows of Bannastalks and

on the left hand side as you go in under a nice tree &
close by the way is the grave of Bro. Pepel the first
missionary buried in Tumba. Just now about 8:00 o'clock
Ppeme Mr. Bentley came in to tell me good bye. He is a
good man, & I like him ever so much. He will travel 1
hour & ten minutes when he will arrive at the camp where
the boys have gone on before. It is a nice bright moon-
light night & a storm has just pass around us.

Tuesday April 13th 1897
Not much done today did a little work on the house.
Attended to some little business.

Wednesday April 14 - 1897

Work was varied - about the same as yesterday. Our
heavenly Father cared for me well. I led the meeting
for the native boys. I net able to speak the language,
got Silas of A.B.M.U. to do the reading & preaching.
We had a very nice meeting for all it was my first.

Thursday April 15, 1897
Again another day with little accomplished.

Friday April 16, 1897

I went to the Duteh House & carried my pistol & sold it -
rec's pay for rifle wrote some tickets & copied a Bill

in French & made out a bill, that is the calculations.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
9 o'clock - we have the soaking rain. Mr. Popel
is still very low, so weak that he has to be hefted about
poor fellow is having a hard time of it. Good night.

Busy planting trees & pineapples around the yard. Nothing
of interest took place during the day.

Took Quinine today to keep off chill & succeeded, saw to
the planting of trees & pine apples.

Worked around at various things. Was asked to conduct
the Sun. p.m. service for Bro. Popel who was very ill.
Killed a chicken & took it to the Dutch House & with my
friends I ate.

Went to Belgika & was speaking with Dr. LeGras when I
sprung the subject of paint on him. We had in our store
6 drums of paint & 2 drums of tar that was not needed so
I sold them to the Dr. & the amt. was 413⁰⁰ frs. A good
deal I'm sure I have sold one to the Dutch House & one
to B.M.S. making 8 drums of paint & 2 drums tar. I have
cleared all expenses on it - & it is lucky I sold it for
it w'd be a dead loss.

Went down to see my Dutch friend & Mr. Ohlenschleiger
promised to come to dinner with me. He came & we had a
good dinner & a pleasant visit. He promised to come again
to service but he did not. I led the p.m. service we had
a good meeting. I told them about a house & they listened
eagerly. After service I sold one bible. On Sat. I sold
one too. I was asked if there was not going to be service
on Good friday & I told them if they w'd come I would meet
them & they fixed the hour at 4 p.m. Mr. Pople is very
low & not expected to live through night.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
Ate dinner with D'Angremond & came home & made ready for
the Good Friday p.m. service. Only a few out but we had
the service all the same.

Sat. April 17, 1897

Quiet day - boys swept off the yard and made preparations
for Sunday.

Sunday (Easter) April 18, 1897

I led the fiot service in the a.m. but Bro. Wooding
happened in & I got him into it & he then carried it
through. Mr. Hill preached to the Acras in the Pole
Mr. Benock held the service at BM.S. at night.

Monday April 19, 1897

Ree'd part of a car load of goods from Matadi 15 cases
for wem.m. 4 Verner 4 station 7 myself. Not much else
done 2 caravans came in for their paye Lezi & Kiasia
returned with them. These car. & boys went to Pool with
Welt ol.

Tuesday April 20/1897
Had the boys getting up gravel in a.m. In pem. I rec'd
19 Bales & 5 cases from A.B.M.U. & stored then aways

Wednesday April 21, 1897

A.BM.S. caravan came in & wanted loads & I had not the
@claration no. so I went to telephone for it but wire
out of fix. D'Angremond telegraphed through chemis de
Fet. but rec'd no ans. I sent leads off un num. & wrote
Dr. S. to the effect. I had the caravan bring up some
stones to build a chimney for my kitchen which I am going
to build.

Thursday April 22, 1897
Still no news of the telegram - had the boys bringing
gravel. I began making shelves for goods.

Friday April 23 - 1897
boys bringing gravel & I continuing my shelving. Went
down town a short time in pom.

Saturday April 24 ~ 1897

Continued my shelving & f
</next_page_context>

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