# 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, and separators. 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.

## 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.
- `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-045

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
with us in a boat when it would be cooler. So we are
to visit the Grave of Bro. Lapsley in the morning. The
day has passed off very pleasantly and we have now had
supper and prayers - and God's blessing upon us 80 we
will retire.

Friday, Jane & - 1897

Awakend this aem. by the ringing of the big bell. We
arose and got ready for breakfast. Just before going
in to breakfast, however, it began to thunder and a big
cloud appeared in the east which warned us of approaching
rain - and while we were eating we had it - and quite a
hard one tooe So our trip to Underhill is up for today,
Just now ©. the Heron has passed up to Matadi from some
place down the river it is 10 o'clock ame Probably
we will hear some news of Edward Bohlen or the Theckler
Bohlen on which vessels our good are. Bro. Armstrong
was to leave this a.m. on the train for Tumba and I
suppose he has gone. Yes he has gone to Tumba. And may
God bless him and the too boys he has with him. The
Edward Bohlen came up this pem. about 2 o'cloek but we
could not find out whether we could get our goods off
on the train Monday, or not. You see the ReR. in a way
is connected with the state, and gives the state prefer-
ence in every thing. I think, though tomorrow I will
hear from Phipps and if there is any place at Tumba we
will go up at once. After coming back from the ship I
took a notion I would go to the Eng. trading house, just
across the hollow, and as I was going down the path, I
looked around & to my great astonishment there was
Morrison bound for the same place. So we went over
together and met a Mr. Frank chief of the House & Mr.
Ross who spoke very highly of Dr. Snyder, but could not
understand Mr. Verner, nor did he form a good opinion of
him. I met a Mr. Mumford also there who is connected
with the house at Boma but who is now here on a visite
Mr. Frank, who has had some dealings with Mr. Verner
thought him a very foolish man that he did not know the
value of money nor time, that he must have had a mint
behind him somewhere. But he did not want Mr. V. to know
that he ssid this as he was particularly interested in
the amounts of money that he spent with him. These
three gentlemen went up the little creek just behind
"Londe® and there had a good bath and a little swim.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
one - to get up. In a short time the
breakfast bell rung the 1st in a short time another
bell was rung & we repaired to the dining room where
was spread a very inviting breakfast. After breakfast
we had prayers which is the usual custom and then prep-
arations were made for another trip to Matadi. We first
called on Armstrong & Clippingdale who accompanied us
to the P. O. where Armstrong had his guns stamped in
order that he might hunt and carry firearms in Congo
State. I then telephoned to Phipp at Tumba but could
get no satisfaction much from him as some Frenchmen were
talking somewhere between Matadi and Tumba and the only
way I or he could get in a word would be to raise our
voices above those who were talking. He said there was
no place for us at Tumba but that he would write this
day and let us know. Very satisfactory. (?) We then
went back to Clippingdale's and from there back to the
station again. In the afternoon a Mr. L. (Lothala) a
native of San Salvador who has been with the missionaries
about 15 years and who is a real nice fellow and a good
Christian and good preacher, and has done lots of good
among his brethren and by the way belongs to the Royal
family for his brother is now King at San Salvador
Came ref to Lunde from Underhill where he is taking care
of the Station for the B.M.S. and we had a nice visit
from him. Bro. Lapsley is buried at Underhill and we
wanted to go there this p.m. with Bro. Lo. But Mr.
Lagerin advised us to wait until a.m. and he would go
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
They practice that every afternoone Mr. Frank has been
in Africe 6 years. I have not seen a man yet who lives
in Africa except a few Missionaries who does not drink
wine or gin with bitters. They say it is needful, but
with God's help I am going to abstain from it. But all
say "You'll come to it. The water is so bad you must
drink something." We were invited over to "chop" with
Mr. Frank and his fellow workers tomorrow at noon. So
I guess we will go. Now, I'll say good-night with
blessings to all.

Saturday, Jan. 9 - 97

A very nice cool cloudy asm. Feeling well, thank God.
Morrison is on his head to get to Matadi in order to
find out about going to Tumba. He is the most impatient
fellow I ever saw, at times, and when it seems to me to
be foolishness to fret or think of things that can't be
done at the time. He is a good sensible man and a
learned man and a splendid preacher, but in practical
things, sometimes, I almost feel like chastising him.

He has his ideas and thinks things ought to go that

way regardless of all other things or people. He don't
look at things only at his own side and therefore things
go wrong. We sit around until 11 o'clock and I propose
going over to our friends to dinner, and he takes a
notion at that time that he must write some as he had
fooled away all the morning expecting every moment that
Mr. Lagerin would summon him to go up to Matadi to see
about the same thing that he saw about yesterday. I go
over and request him to come at once and he sai
</next_page_context>

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