# 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-269

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
behind fer some time, until we had te stop & fix more
substantial se we put in at a little island - while we
were there about 10 e'clock p.m. the "Peace" (B.M.S.)
with Mr. & “rs. Grenfell & Mrs. d'Hailes on board - the
last going te Eurepe. We camped in sight ef B.O. & cut
weed - quite a number ef mesquitees - but we were pro-
tected - and were not bothered much.

*“Pioneer® (Bolebo) Tuesday July 18 - 99

This a.m. while the men were cutting weed, Messrs. Bewen
Sinclaire, Clark, Sawyers & myself & Madam Randall &
Miss Lina Clark all went te B.O. in a canee ~- abeut neon
the Pieneer & M°Gregor came up - the Kapeta had weed
waiting fer us at B.O. He began to repair the breken
wheel & it teek all day & yet it is new finished. Mr.
Clark & I had meals with Mr. Scrivener, Mr. Sinclair,
Mrs. Randall, Miss Lina had meals with Mr. & Mrs. Glark
Messrs. Bewen & M°Gregor had meals at Mr. Howells -
quite a pleasant day spent here - Except for the necessa:
amount ef werk which devolved en Mr. M°Greger - we playet
crequet in the poem. I made seme awful plays - I alse
went & had a visit with the State man Mr. Petein He
spoke ne English but we managed to get en fairly well.

“Pioneer” (B.O.) Wednesday July 19 - 99

Last night abeut 1 e'cleck the wind was blewing furious]:
& the beat was swung around en shere. M°G Bowen
Sinclair & I, get up & straightened her about & fastened
her te the Geodwill. M°G fell ever beard & get censid-
erably drenched. About 9 e'cleck all was repaired & at
10 we started away ~ made a geod days run.

"Pioneer" Thursday July 20 - 1899

Anether geed day's run - nothing of interest things
move on the same from day te day unless we ceme te a
statien. We stepped early & began te cut weed. We
saw where the Reed had camped & we traced the feet

prints ef Mr. Gilchrist & Mise Logie - Mr. Sinclair
shet an eagle.

“Pioneer” Friday July 21 - 99

We started off about 7 this a.m. with wood enough to
run all day - shortly after starting & just as we were
ready te eat breakfast we stepped at an Nkunda tewn

we went on & about 7 e'cleck pom. we arrived at Bunga
we had supper & then went en te a woeding place - After
being stopped a number of times by sand banks & at 1
o'cleck we landed ~- & the men began te cut weed.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
ge.

"Pioneer" Friday July 14 - 99
Another good days run camped just below the Kwa This
a.m. "Rey des Belges" passed us. Good-night.

"Pioneer" Saturday July 15 - 99
Ran all day but were short of wood - got none last night
& had to stop many times today - camped in sight almost
of Tchimberi.

"Pioneer" Sunday July 16 - 99
Ran into Tchimberi - got there about 11 o'clock a.m.
had dinner on the boat - found the "Reed" there with
her passengers - being entertained by Mr. & Mrs.
Christopher of A.B.M.U. We had tea this p.m. at 3 o'clock
with Mr. & Mrs. Christopher - also supper tonight -
quite a large family 8 of us from Pioneer - 4 from the
Reed & 2 of themselves - 14 in all - after sup. singing
&c.

"Pioneer" Monday July 17 - 99
Left very early this a.m. stopped to take on some wood
Reed left shortly after - took on some wood & had plenty
to run 12 hours - We waited until she caught-up with us
& then started out for a friendly race - we started side
by side keeping abreast of each other - until Mr. Banks
thinking he could pass tried to cut across our bow,
failing - his boat ran up too close to ours and the
barge which he was towing swung up against our wheel &
broke every float & some of the spokes we stopped at
once, but he went on never even stopping to enquire if
anything was wrong or how serious those who knew him
better thought that he did not want to know - and was
glad if we were kept behind. After stopping to fix the
wheel temporarily we went on & kept a few hundred yards
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
“Pieneer*® Saturday July 22 - 99

The men cut censiderable woed but net se much as the
night befere - at about 11 e'cleck this a.m. we left

the weoding & started out of the little channel to the
main river - thence te preceed across te Lekelele -
Arriving there at 2:30 p.m. we had tea & stepped awhile
& at 4 pom. left. Had a pleasant visit & refreshed our-
selves. We learned that the Reed had only passed up
yesterday. We arrived at New Irebeu where Frank is,
about 7 p.m. & spent the night.

“Pieneer” Sunday July 23 - 99

After prayers this a.m. we spent the fereneon in reading
after dinner we had a service for the men & quite a
number ef people gathered around & listened te the
ergan. Miss Lina played Mr. Sinclair gave out the
Hymns & offereé prayer & Mr. Bewen preached. Mra.
Randall gave a little talk ~ about 4 e'cleck p.m. Miss
Lina Mrs. Randall, Mr. Clark myself & Frank went toe
another part of the tewn - taking the organ with us.
Miss Lina played & Mrs. Randall, whe has a strong voice,
made the music ring in the wilderness all whe knew the
hymns joined in. Frank, the native evangelist, preached
& Mr. Clark made a few remarks. Frank interpreting for
him. After sunset the men began cutting weed fer eur
journey temorrew.

“Pieneer" Monday July 24 - 99

We left about 2 o'cleck this a.m. & ran by moonlight
President Brickman of S.A.B. pass us on her way to the
Peel. We saw the Reed in the distance shead of us -
abeut 2 e'cleck p.m. we arrived at Irebeu. The Reed
was just leav
</next_page_context>

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