# 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-242

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Leo. Friday April 7 - 99

I forgot to mention that Wednesday night two of my boys
struck for higher wages - the next day - I hired one -
the cook - but took away his privalige of going to school
the other is hanging around - this a.m. two smaller boys
struck & did not sweep us. I called them in and placed
them across my knee one at a time and took a good rule
and warmed them up nicely. Since then they have been
first class. The other boys who struck I hired him this
peme After giving him a good lecture. New he goes to
school & is a good boy. I did not raise his wages.

Good night.

Saturday April & - 99

This asm. I went down to the beach & found the capt. of
Ville de Bruxelles and asked if he had the list of loads-
he had and there was 100 on it for me. I came back home
and began getting them down right after dinner. I got
88 - the other 12 I will get down Monday aem. D.V. I
hired a lot of men to carry them to the river at our
place & from there to the state place by canoe. Mr.
Woolings came up after supper with his boys and we prac
ticed singing - after the singing he spent the remainder
of the evening. good-night.

Sunday April 9 - 99

Mr. W. was to have the service this a.m., but during the
night he was taking ill & this a.m. early I rec'd a note
to the effect, so it fell to me. I had a large congre-
gation of boys & one woman - & 2 white men - Scandina-
vians. I asked them to come again to the English ser-
vice in the pom. and bring more people — they did. Mr.
Wooling preached. We had 6 white men. I wrote some
letters & took them to the Fost myself - we shall now
have the boys in. The boat will leave for Luebo Tuesday
asme Sophie has made some little dresses to send up.
Good-night.

Monday April 10 - 1899

This a.m. I was up bright & early and had the boys carry
12 cases more down to the Beach. When everything was
nicely finished, the capt. rec'd word to go to Kimpoko
for wood &¢, so the boat will not go out until Thursday.
Mr. Gordon rode over on his wheel & stayed until after
dinner with us. I sent a boy Nzonzo to Kinshasa to get
the axtrait de permis signed.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
d get the steam boat back to
him he was drowned - the other Accra men if they had
made any effort might have saved him - but they never
offered & the fellow had to go - poor man - after it
was over they all cried - I went to Gordons - & Mr.
Grenfell offered to take 58 loads which I had at the
Dutch House to Leo. for me As some men had been trying
to steal - then I came home on my wheel. Mr. Gordon
came part way with me.

We got up early this a.m. & Sophie had everything ready
for a good dinner by nine o'clock. About 10 the boat
Peace B.M.S. steamer came bringing Mr. & Mrs. Grenfell
& little girl - Mr. & Mrs. Gordon & baby - My loads
were put off, and I had them carried to the magazine-
with the others we had Mr. Woolings to dinner with us-
there were 8 of us at the table. Mr. Grenfell is a
white man & highly educated. His wife is a rough Africar
woman - black - from Cameroons. A few days ago their 19
year old daughter - Mulatto - died - very sad - about
4 o'clock they all left for Kinshasa again. All well-
good time & good-night.

The steamer Ville de Bruxelles is on the slip for small
repairs I don't know when she will return to Luebo.
Everything is quiet. I went to see a sick man - very
much neglected. New Dr. Italian - Nothing of interest
Good-night.

Steamer Brabout left this a.m. Goes up the Congo R. Mr.
Woolings went to Kinshasa & spent the day. It was Market
Day and we sent to get quange for the boys & only rec'd
½ as much as we sent for. Nothing else of int. good-nigh
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
Leopoldville - Tuesday April 11 - 99

About noon today capt. Ottos of Ville d'Anvers came in
and at 2 o'clock I went to the boat - for it had just
been to the Kassai with 100 loads for our brethren at
Luebo. After I saw that all was well, I went to the
Post Office and rec'd letters from Morrison, Vass &
Phipps. Sophie has been getting some little dresses
ready for some of the little children at Luebo to help
out Miss Fearing & Miss Thomas. Late this afternoon
Ville de Bruxelles which is to take my loads came back
and tomorrow she will load up and Thursday she will
leave. I put on a case of matches I bought at S.A.P.V.
for Luebo which cost 100 frs. so I had 101 loads again
of one.

Wednesday - April 12 - 1899

This a.m. the loads were taken on board and shortly
after it began to rain. I went up to see my sick friend,
and found him very feeble. He will go to Boma Friday.

I had the papers for the loads signede I shall probably
go to Kinshasa tomorrow with the boat.

Thursday April 13 - 99

I arranged everything and when the boat blew and was
ready to go I had my bike on board and was ready tooa

I went to Kinshasa. we first stopped at the custom house
and then went on to $.A.B..where some more loads were
taken on board. I left the boat then & rode my bike
down to Gordon's where I stayed until after dinner.
About 3 o'clock I started home - had a boy along with
me. I reached home about 3:30 all well.

Friday April 14 - 99

This aem. I went down to the beach to ascertain when the
</next_page_context>

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

## Explicit repair attempt

The prior response failed deterministic validation. Return a complete replacement
object, not a patch. Preserve the source reading and fix only the structural or
schema problems listed below.

<validation_errors>
- canonical: part p242-b001-p002 line 10 has block_end before the last line
- canonical: part p242-b003-p002 line 10 has block_end before the last line
- canonical: part p242-b004-p002 line 4 has block_end before the last line
</validation_errors>

<prior_response status="invalid">
{"page_id":"page-242","page_role":"content","boundary":{"starts_mid_block":"no","ends_mid_block":"no"},"blocks":[{"id":"p242-b001","order":1,"continuation":{"from_previous":"no","to_next":"no","previous":null,"next":null},"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"diary_entry","date":{"date_source":"Friday April 7 - 99","date_normalized":"1899-04-07","normalization_status":"normalized","normalization_confidence":"high","normalization_reason":"Expanded abbreviated year \"99\" to 1899 and formatted as ISO date."},"place_source":"Leo.","content":[{"id":"p242-b001-p001","order":1,"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"text","role":"dateline","lines":[{"line_number":1,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Leo. Friday April 7 - 99"}],"line_end":"block_end"}]},{"id":"p242-b001-p002","order":2,"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"text","role":"body","lines":[{"line_number":2,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"I forgot to mention that Wednesday night two of my boys"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":3,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"struck for higher wages - the next day - I hired one -"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":4,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"the cook - but took away his privalige of going to school"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":5,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"the other is hanging around - this a.m. two smaller boys"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":6,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"struck & did not sweep us. I called them in and placed"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":7,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"them across my knee one at a time and took a good rule"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":8,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"and warmed them up nicely. Since then they have been"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":9,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"first class. The other boys who struck I hired him this"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":10,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"p.m. After giving him a good lecture. New he goes to"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":11,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"school & is a good boy. I did not raise his wages."}],"line_end":"block_end"},{"line_number":12,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Good night."}],"line_end":"block_end"}]}]},{"id":"p242-b002","order":2,"continuation":{"from_previous":"no","to_next":"no","previous":null,"next":null},"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"diary_entry","date":{"date_source":"Saturday April 8 - 99","date_normalized":"1899-04-08","normalization_status":"normalized","normalization_confidence":"high","normalization_reason":"Expanded abbreviated year \"99\" to 1899 and formatted as ISO date."},"place_source":null,"content":[{"id":"p242-b002-p001","order":1,"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"text","role":"dateline","lines":[{"line_number":1,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Saturday April 8 - 99"}],"line_end":"block_end"}]},{"id":"p242-b002-p002","order":2,"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"text","role":"body","lines":[{"line_number":2,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"This a.m. I went down to the beach & found the capt. of"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":3,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Ville de Bruxelles and asked if he had the list of loads"}],"line_end":"hyphen_word_break"},{"line_number":4,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"he had and there was 100 on it for me. 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I had a large congre"}],"line_end":"hyphen_word_break"},{"line_number":5,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"gation of boys & one woman - & 2 white men - Scandina"}],"line_end":"hyphen_word_break"},{"line_number":6,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"vians. I asked them to come again to the English ser"}],"line_end":"hyphen_word_break"},{"line_number":7,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"vice in the p.m. and bring more people - they did. Mr."}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":8,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Wooling preached. We had 6 white men. I wrote some"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":9,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"letters & took them to the Post myself - we shall now"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":10,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"have the boys in. The boat will leave for Luebo Tuesday"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":11,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"a.m. Sophie has made some little dresses to send up."}],"line_end":"block_end"},{"line_number":12,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Good-night."}],"line_end":"block_end"}]}]},{"id":"p242-b004","order":4,"continuation":{"from_previous":"no","to_next":"no","previous":null,"next":null},"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"diary_entry","date":{"date_source":"Monday April 10 - 1899","date_normalized":"1899-04-10","normalization_status":"normalized","normalization_confidence":"high","normalization_reason":"Formatted the unambiguous source date as ISO date."},"place_source":null,"content":[{"id":"p242-b004-p001","order":1,"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"text","role":"dateline","lines":[{"line_number":1,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Monday April 10 - 1899"}],"line_end":"block_end"}]},{"id":"p242-b004-p002","order":2,"evidence":{"status":"not_attempted","method":null,"ocr_word_ids":[],"bbox":null,"matched_tokens":0,"total_tokens":0},"type":"text","role":"body","lines":[{"line_number":2,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"This a.m. I was up bright & early and had the boys carry"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":3,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"12 cases more down to the Beach. When everything was"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":4,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"nicely finished, the capt. rec'd word to go to Kimpoko"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":5,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"for wood &c, so the boat will not go out until Thursday."}],"line_end":"block_end"},{"line_number":6,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"Mr. Gordon rode over on his wheel & stayed until after"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":7,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"dinner with us. I sent a boy Nzonzo to Kinshasa to get"}],"line_end":"no_hyphen"},{"line_number":8,"segments":[{"type":"text","text":"the axtrait de permis signed."}],"line_end":"block_end"}]}]}],"editorial_notes":[]}
</prior_response>
