# 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-272

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
*Belingi® Monday July 31 - 99

I was up very early te see the peeple eff - all well
Dr. Dye & wife & Mr. Faris are very goed & kind te us.
We have had a pleasant day. We expect the Reed or Bra-
bant down te-day or tomorrew and we have to keep in
readiness for thea. I had a horseback ride this pom.

I also went with Dr. Dye to S.A.B. 2 or 3 miles up.
there was a man sick.

“Beolengi® Tuesday Aug. 18t 99

This a.m.we were getting en se nicely when we heard a
beat whistle & mext we saw the Reed. Mr. Banks came

& we get our things on beard - and about 10:30 we left
bidding good-bye to our geod hestes - the Reed will not
ge all the way te the Peol - but we will step at Belobo
er Tchimberi until we get an eppertunity ef an ether
steamer dewn. Tonight we camp at a weoding 4 hours
abeve Irebeu & while there Sephie is taken with ea chill
& high fever. I give her all the attention I can &
the perspiration begins to flew & by merning we hope
that her temperature will be gone.

“g.$. Henry Reed” Wednesday Aug. 2°4 99

Sephie had a hard night - but this a.m. thank Ged, she
is freefrom fever ~- but is very weak - taking plenty

ef quinine - eats (scarcely) nothing ~ we stepped at
Irebou a little while & Mr. Banks teok on his beat -
then we went on dewn te New Irebeu where Frank is -
there I bought a canee - and am to pay fer it in hoes

te the amount ef 2500 brass reds ~ the standard of. 5
native money. Mr. Banks is teeing it down for me 4
at 6 e'clock pom. we came to Lukelele, when we found
Mr. & Mrs. Whitehead of B.M.S. we had a good supper with
them and spent a mest pleasant evening - about 10 e'clec
we bade them good-night & went to the boat. Sephie is
still very weak.

"S.S. Henry Reed" Thursday Aug. 37% 99

Left Lukelele early - had a good run dewn river ~ camped
at a wooding & set the men to work. Mr. Banks is very
kind to us. He pays ne attention to the cooking seo I
am gen. steward ~ Mrs. Crowley is stewardess (7) good
night.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
e has a head-ache - caused from the
excitement - good-night.

"Ikoke" Friday July 28 - 99
After getting our things on board, and a good breakfast,
we began saying good bye & to get on board - about 9
o'clock we started - leaving Mr. & Mrs. Clark & Lina to
themselves.  We have had a most delightful time with
them, and they have been kind in the extreme to us.
Nothing too good good for us that they had - and no
trouble was spared for our comfort - arrived at Irebeu
about 1 o'clock and started up river - got stuck on a
sand-bank & had to wait until next morning.

"Pioneer" Saturday July 29 - 99
Arrived at wooding this a.m. took on wood & men & started
for Belungi - but the river is low & we camped several
hours below.

"Pioneer" Sunday July 30 - 99
Against the principle of MᶜG to run on Sunday, but he
was sick and we all would be the better of getting to
a mission station, so we started this a.m. & at 10:30
o'clock we arrived at Belengi where we found Mr. Faris
& Dr. Dye awaiting us on the beach. Messrs. Sinclair
& Bowen went up with them & held service & took dinner
with them while the rest of us had dinner on the boat.
Sophie & I will stay here until a boat comes down river
to take us home.  We all had p.m. tea - and supper - and
a lot of good singing - about 9 p.m. we all said good
night - the party all went to the boat & Sophie & I went
to our new quarters a good room & good bed.  MᶜG is
much better & in fact well - & will leave early in the
morning for Lulanga.  Good-night.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
"3.8. Henry Reed" Friday Aug. 4th 99

Starting early this a.m. we ran down and arrived at
Belebe at 12:30 had a very pleasant little stay ef an
heur there & left again for Tchimberi where we arrived
about 6 pom. & met Mr. & Mrs. Christepher ~- we had a nice
supper & went back to the beat te sleep - as there was nc
room ready that we could go inte - they are beth very
kind & hespitable and do all they can to make us have a
geed time - we will remain here until we can get a beat
te ge te Laopeldville. Geod-night.

“Tchimberi® Saturday Aug. 5°? 99

We have spent the day very quietly and this p.m. we
moved inte a nice room & large bed (Mr. Bank's) here
will be eur quarters until we ge to he Peel. Good night

*“Tchimberi" Sunday Aug. 6 - 99

Had a geod night's rest, but Sephie was being chewed up
by mesquitees ~ fleas or seme other insect & did net
rest se well. After breakfast cleaned up our roem &
after a little the chappel bell rung &c. During service
we heard the wails of the women in the town as though
seme one had died. Yes a woman died & the meurners are
at work - they ge areund everywhere crying eut - that
ene ef their comrades is dead.

Tehimberi Monday Aug. 7 - 99

Mr. Banks left this a.m. with the Reed fer Ikeke and
from thence te Lulanga - later in the day the Dutch
Heuse boat "Henrietta" called at the beach & the capt.
was going up te meet the Brazzaville & then ceme back
te Kinshasa - so he teld me he would stop when he came
back - but that same day the beat come dow
</next_page_context>

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