# 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-145

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Menday Feb. 14 ~ 1898

This a.m. Mr. Graham went off en the early train dewn

the line te Quilu, where he heped to meet some men and
talk to them about Jesus. He met with some success. He
had quite an experience. He sat in a house to rest and
there were present several conge lads whe stared at him
fer a long time. At last, he broke the silence by asking
some question, in the congo language. This surprised ther
very much and after conversing a little while with then
they were so amazed that they called to some others whe
were net far off te come and see the menstresity - a res-
urrected man. Net only a resurrected man but a conge man
whe had died and was resurrected white. It was wonderful
They felt of him and talked to him and asked him question:
and leeked at his fingernails - and everything pointed te
the fact (to then) that he was a Congo man resurrected
white. They would net bélieve that he was not until he
called his boy te testify to the fact that he was only a
missionary who had come to Conge to tell them of Jesus.
He was the first white man they had ever seen whe could
speak the congo language properly. The rest of the day
was the same as others with its usual amount of work.

Tuesday Feb. 15 - 1898

The earliest train that went out this a.m. ran off the
track and caused a blockade several hours from Tumba. The
Express left at the usual hour, but befere neon it came
back again as it ceuld net pass the ene which had run off.
I had ce carriers to come in for their pay - they had
made a very quick trip te Leepeldville, Stanly Pool, only
15 days. They had gone so quickly that they were tired
and wanted te rest from their labors for a while. After
scheol we all went over to the State Quarters to see a
levely Leopard, six menths old and as gentle as e kitten
it was a beauty. It was tied with a chain, not ina cage,
and I went up and stroked it for several minutes it would
play with yeu just like a little kitten. Nothing else of
importance. I ended the old Sgreement with the 5.M.S. &
A.P.C.M. and now we are on a better footing. All well.

Wednesday Feb. 16 ~ 1898

The usual reutine of business, nothing else. Except our
services. The prayermeeting to-night was cenducted by
Mr. Mergan. 0, yes we had mails tonight. Mre. Crowley
two nice letters addressed to her - the first she had
addressed te her new names One from her mother and one
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
y night for the natives in the
Congo language, and the one on Thursday night for the
Coast men it being in English. These services are all
held in turn by the five missionaries.

But I wish particularly to write of some of the char--
acteristics of the boys and girls we have with us at our
homes, and I want you all, dear children, to pray for
these little ones, that they grow up to be good men and
women and go out and tell others of Jesus.

In the first place, I will tell you about one boy. We
now have six with us, one of whom came in one day and tol
us he was Mr. Crowley's boy, which to say the least, was
a way of hiring out. We have, however, kept him, and
he seems very bright and capable. Our head man is the
only one who speaks English, and through him, I can talk
with the others. I have a dear little [illegible: 1 word] boy,
Mapuata by name; and he is very anxious for “Nengue” as
he calls me, which means madam, to learn Congo. One of
his duties, or rather pleasures, for it is a pleasure to
him, is to turn over the scripture rolls every morning.
These rolls were given me by the S. School of the 1st
Presbyterian Church of Nashville, Tenn. They are a source
of great pleasure to my boys and a great many others who
gaze with interest on the highly [illegible: 1 word] Bible scenes de--
picted on them.

Mapuata is working for us to pay for goods his brother
stole from the mission when Mr. [illegible: 1 word] was in charge at
Lukungu. He is very bright and clean, and is, I think,
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
perfectly henest. Of ceurse they have many faults, ene
ef them being a great unwillingness to work.
6

But many ef us at home have that seme fault and have net
the redeeming virtue~-generosity--which is possessed by
these Cenge children, in a marked degree. It was a great
surprise te me to find them so, and if I had space I ceul
tell yeu many little stories ef their generesity and un-
selfishness te ene another, seme ef which have been teld
te me and some which have come under my own observation.
Mrs. Graham, whom I have mentioned several times, has
two dear little boys under her care--one three and the
ether five years of age - they are inseparable, and the
greatest punishment given te either of them is te ferbid
him sharing any delicacy he has with the other. One of
them, the younger, causes her some little trouble, and
when he is this bad, he is punished by net getting any
bread in the morning and the elder one is forbidden to
share his with him. Se when the little fellew has been
goed the other comes with a bright smile te tell her of
it so that he may be allowed to share with his companion.
Another case which happened at my own home, deeply
impressed me. One day at tea, I dropped a lump of suger
en the fleor and I told Mapuata he might have it. At
once he hurried to divide it with the ether boys. Think
ef it children, how meny of yeu would divide a lump ef
sugar even ameng your brether and sisters. But ne matter
hew large or small the quantity it is shared always.
Anothe
</next_page_context>

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