# 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-287

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Saturday Oct. 7 = 99

Am feeling much better but get tired very easily &
quickly Nothing much of impertance, writing &c. Mr.
Black will preach tomerrew poem. Domerjez came, train
late had supper with use all quite well ~ geed-night.

Sunday Oct. 8 + 99 Leepeldville

Nkaku & I had service this a.m. Mr. Black this p.m.
Mr. Demerjoz with us - Sephie S.S. large - pom. service
very small 3 Swedes & 5 Accras ~ Geed-night

Menday Oct. 9 ~ 99 Mr. Demenjoz went te Kinshasa this
asme & came back this neon with Mr. Gerden & we all had
dinner together. Mr. Gerden bewght seme sheep from
Demerj - I will buy seme later.

Tuesday Oct. 10 ~ 99

I went to the State te see about getting some leads - got
premise ef 25 - went at once & had them picked out - so
as te be ready - the boat will leave Saturday.

Wednesday Oct. 11 ~ 99

Demer joz went te Kinshasa this a.m. walked back this
pem. He has the phetographic craze He went te work
packing - as he has quite a number of things te send

heme for Mr. Weollings. He expects to start for Matadi
Friday.

Thursday Oct. 12 - 99

This a.m. I went down to the beach & get a boat & toek
all my leads down at once and had them put en the
Steamer 25 8.8. Ville de Bruges. I bought 2 $-grewn
sheep & ene eld sheep & lamb fer 60 francs. I alse
bought 6 fewls for 25 francs, & some ether things - my
bill was 100.50 francs. Sophie has prepared lunch for
Demer jez tomorrew. I went dewn & helped him de some

packing te night. Black is net much when ene is in a
hurry. Geod-night.

Friday Oct. 13 - 99 Leepeldville

Mr. Demerjoz left for Matadi this a.m. & I went to
Kinshasa en the same train paid te the custem efficer
51 francs - fer passage & beard from Tchumbeti. Ate
breakfast at Gerdon's Met Mr. Feole at the Dutch Heuse,
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
eath record -
the Judge asked for the papers - but I told him he made
a will so that Ended those matters. I then went to the
S.A.P.V. to find out about a steamer that I had had
notice of as going to the Kassai & on which I had been
promised 50 loads. I should have had them on the beach
Saturday, but I could not leave Mr. W. so this p.m. I
had to get them out & load them on steamer - the Gordons
are with us still - S.S.-Charles Gratry

This morning I started out with Gordon to have a little
look around, but the sun seemed so hot & I had headache
I did not go but stayed in the house most of the day.
At night when it came time to retire I took my tempera--
ture & found I had fever. I took the necessary medicines
& went to sleep.

This a.m. the fever had left me but Sophie would not
let me get up. Mr. & Mrs. Gordon & baby left this a.m.
the baby seemed much better. I had to lie in bed all
day. I had a telegram stating that M. Black of C.B.M.
would be up today - he came. He ate supper with us. I
got up for a little while tonight to rest before going
to sleep.

I got up this a.m. & had breakfast with Sophie. Mr.
Black ate with us, he is a vegetarian - eats no meat
I stayed in doors most of the day - very weak.

Had a telegram from Domerjoz. He will be up Saturday
night. Black is with us yet, but after today he will
get his own meals, he can please himself better.

We are alone - Black is eating for himself I am getting
stronger but still feeble - had the room prepared for
Domerjoz.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
paid 50 francs then fer seme flannel fer Mrs. Dr. Dye
came back on my wheel arrived home about 11 o'cleck -
did the usual werk in the p.m. Sophie has a celd. I
hope it will seon pass eff.

Saturday Oct. 14 - 99

' Went te beach early - gave the Capt. some letters &c
came back, had breakfast. C.B.M. has seme leads come
in se I let my beys help bring them in - to the stere -
being saturday, the winding up ef things fer the week.

I paid eff Mayrmbe ~ Nkala comes inte the heuse as table
boy &e. Geod-night.

Sunday Oct. 15 - 99

This asm. Nkaku & I had the services 2 Italians were
passing by & I lured them inte the church - our service
was in Conge, but they ceuld net understand Eng. se

they were just as well eff - they sat there during the
whele service and ene of them helped singe I think it
was hard fer them to remain in deors so long - this p.m.
there were 5 sacandinavians at service, myself & Mr. Black
making 5 in all. I did the preaching. I hepe an impres-
sien was made ~ also en the ones this a.m. New geod
night. Sephie had a big S.S. class.

Oct. 16 = 99 Monday

Mr. Black is turning things about in 0.B.M. store and
has some keys te help him. This p.m. we sent for
Kwanga but got nene, se eur boys will have to take rice
until next market day. Geod night.

Tuesday Oct. 17 - 99

Today I made an assertment of some leads fer our Luebe
brethren teek a list and had them ready to carry te the
beach when the boat would leave. Mr. Jenes, an English-
man is master, but the boat will
</next_page_context>

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