# 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-056

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
gayest colors. It is amusing to see one with a pair of
low % shoes on, no clothing except a piece of cloth
about the waist, no sox, only the shoes.

Friday, Jan. 29 - 1896

After breakfast, I went down to the river, & there I saw
Mr. Frank going to Matadi in his boat, so I went with
him. He took me to the steamer where I inquired for the
boxes which I wanted to get the guns out and take them
to Matadi and have them registered. The mate told me he
had not found them, so I went down in the hold & goon
got them out & left instructions what to do with them
until I had a chance to get them. I then went to the
Eng. house and found Mr. Frank and after staying in
Matadi as long as was necessary we started back and I
suggested to bring the boxes down to Londe in his boat
which he readily agreed to and after putting thez on the
shore he would not let me get out, but hurried over to
“NKalaKala" to his house and there I stayed until after
chop. After staying a few minutes with him efter dinner
I went back te Londe and opened the boxes and got out

the guns. It was a hard job for inside the wooden box
was a tin box souldered. Bro. Clippingdale came down with
@ sail on his boat and took p.m. tea with us. I went out
with a gun and shot at an eagle flying but he was too

far off. I missed. Good-night.

Thursday, Jan. 28-97 >  Kege>

I made a mistake of one day, as you will see or have
already seen.

Went to Matadi this asm. and on the ship looked for my
boxes, but had not yet appeared. When I returned a notice
was for me to appear at the telephone - which is in the
P.O. Mr. Clippingdale was at Londe, and affered me his
boat and men who took me again to Matadi. I had a little
talk with Phipps, nothing of importance. I then went
down to the station (R.R.) and got a package of writing
material which Verner had left through mistake (I
suppose, as the R.R..had not received it nor were they
responsible for it they said). The pkge was in bad con
dition liable to be lost, but it is safe now. I was gled
to find it for part of it was for Tumba, and you see I'm
interested. The Lord led me to find it. In the Pele

Mr. M°Kenny & Mr..Clippingdale were going down to
Underhill for some wardrobes, and there was a little

Bet
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
 boys were eating
supper. Good night. I guess I will be able now in a
few days to go to Tumba.

Tuesday, Jan. 26 - 1897
Stayed at Londe until Noon. After dinner went to N Kala-
Kala and found Mr. Frank and his boys eating dinner. I
was compelled to sit down and eat a bite. I went into
the sitting room, and while Mr. F. took a little nap, I
got the French dictionary and translated a French lettre
rec'd from Le Governor Generale. I then went with Mr.
Ross to Matadi and stopped on the ship to look after my
cargo, but the particular boxes had not been found yet
so I will have to be patient a few days longer. I came
down with Mr. R. again and he landed me at Londe. After
supper and prayers I exhibited my photos to Messrs.
Lagerin, Lemke and M°Kenny, who admired them very much.
I made them wish they had bro't theirs. Good night and
may God bless all Christian people everywhere.

Wednesday, Jan. 27 - 1897
At Londe still - helped Mr. M°K mend some chairs until
dinnertime. After dinner I cut Mack's hair - and then
he, Lagerin & myself went to Matadi. I went again to
look after my goods, but as yet they had not come to
them. One of the Londe boys, in order to keep up
appearance, put on for trousers - a knit undershirt-
and oh, my! imagine the sight - his feet & legs through
the arms and the tail or lower part of the shirt around
his face tied with a string around his body, the neck
hanging loose between his legs. The agony (?) those
people do put on sometimes. They come out in the very
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
strip of woods along the river between Londe & Underhill
and I went down with them and stopped off and hunted
until they came back. I only killed one dove. But oh,
my, I thot it was a parrot for it was very large, unlike
our doves. It must have been like the dove that Noah
sent out from the arky very pretty, blue & yellow tint,
nice yellow legs pretty hawk bill with a red bulge at
the part where it proceeds from the head. I saw sone
monkey tracks but no monkeys. On my way back to Londe
I killed two more birds both on the winge Mr. M°Kenny
shot twice at a bird sitting still & never touched it.
No more to day. Good night - with God's blessings.

Saturday, Jane 30 - 1897

During the a.m. I ree'd a telephone message from Phipps
stating that he had send 2 beys down to go up with goods.
I did not need the boys but he thought I did he has no
idea of business at all -- if he hes control ef money

he thinks he ought to do whatever presents itself regard~
less of cost. In the pam. I was to go to Matadi & have
our guns registered, but I had misplaced my authorize
tion and could not go. I then looked every where for

it but could not find it - so late in the p.m. nearly

at sun set, I went out with a gun in a sail boat with
Mr. Lagerin ~ retired early.

Sun. Jan. 31 - 1897

Read the bible and some good tracts in the a.m. In the
pem. I went up to Bro. Clippingdale's and te may great
surprise I found a Mr. Hays and wife and Mr. James (a
colored man) all of the C.B.M..and were on their way
</next_page_context>

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