# 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-120

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Wednesday Dee. 22 ~ 97.

Mrs. C. much better - Our Father has kept watch over her.
Mrs. Wooding better ~ Mrs. Graham sick. This seems to be
rather a sickly time. Baron De Rosen commisiaire In dis+
trict very ill. I killed a pigeon today and had it
roasted at the Dutch House. Mrs. C. & Mrs. G. both en-
joyed it and ate heartily.

Thursday Dec. 23 ~ 1897.

Mrs. C. still improving and getting strong. We are to
have a concert tonight. No, Imean a lecture on Dr. Living
stone's travels in Africa. Later - We have had it. Mr.
Graham delivered the lecture and accompanied it with a
magic lantern it was very good and a goodly number was

out to hear it - about the wind up it began to rain = We
have not been able to commence keeping house regularly
yet, but probably will on Monday next.

Friday Dec. 24 - 1897.

Mrs. C. stills improves - she is waking around sitting up
and gaining strength rapidly. One of the good things
about the Congo fever is that after it is over you gain
strength so rapidly and in a short time one does not feel
as though they had been sick at all. Tomorrow is Xmas
day and it is my birthday - and I am to preach a sermon
at 10 o'clock. Wonderful is not it? My anniversary and
I am to preach a Xmas sermon. I shall close now and wish
you all a merry Xmas & happy new year. We are to give the
boys on the different stations a big feast tomorrow some
of the party who went with Dr. 8. & Mr. J. have returned
bringing good news. Yours in Christ Stephen & Sophie

Saturday Dec. 25 - 1897

A Merry Xmas. Today has been a day of Joy and light
evento us here in this dark and benighted land. I preach-
ed this asm. to the Accra & Sierra Leone's and told them
the same old blessed story of the birth of Our Saviour and
his precious love. A gocdly no. was present and all
seemed to be much interested. After dinner At Mr. Graham!
(B.M.S.) their diningroom was turned over to the boys of
that station and mine (A.F.C.M.) and we killed a pig and
gave it to them to cook and eat. You should have seen
with what delight and gladness they all sat down to the
long table - 25 in all ~ with my head man NKaku and Depoka
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
nd only awoke when my presence was needed. Mrs. C.
slept fairly well too only waking for some nourishments
every hour, & medicine. At 5 o'clock this morning the
fever left her for the 1ˢᵗ time in 8 days. She is very
weak now but sleeps nearly the time - has slept nearly all
day. She has had no fever today. Our Heavenly Father has
smiled on us all the time although he let the fever con-
tinue so long, but it might have been longer. His pres-
ence is an ever present help in time of need. I shall be
able to do the nursing myself tonight.

Tuesday Dec. 21 - 1897.
Mrs. C. had a good night last night, no fever - slept well
woke every two hours for food. Very hungry this morning.
On the mend beautifully. Thanks to Our Father for his
love and mercy. We have had our prayers answered, and
the medicine was given with prayers. Mrs. Graham was sick
all night and has fever today. I am sorry for she is so
good, and does so much for those who are sick around her.
Mrs. Wooding has a touch of Rheumatism, and her little
baby girl is not well. The goat's milk seems not to
agree with her. It began raining this a.m. and we had a
nice refreshing shower - we have had quite a dry spell and
it came in exceedingly good for Dr. Snyder & Mr. Jeffereys
to make their journey to Stanley Pool. I have not heard
from them yet as the boys who went with them have not yet
returned. I went out for a little walk and recreation
about 6 o'clock while Mrs. C. was resting. She has im-
proved steadily all day Thank God.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
his wife at the head it- would have done your heart good
to see them eat. Mr. Graham & Mr.. Pinnock waited on them.
They had roast pig and stewed Qvauge pudding, cake &c.

and a glorious time. After dinner they played games and
swung and spent the day in showing their presents and
making a great display of their clothes. The Accra's &
Sierra Leon's had a big game of cricket. I went down &

called on Mr. Ohlenschlager. A lovely day it has been
for Congo.

Sunday Lec. 26 ~ 97.

Nething much out of the usual line took place today except
that the congregations at church were larger. Mr. Wooding
preached in the am. to the Congo boys & I in the p.m. to
the Aecra's & S. Leone's. Had good and attentive congre=
gations. 1, again conducted the service at night at Mr.
Wooding house (G.B.M.}) We always have plenty of work ~
through the week we work with earriers and do sueh work as
come to hand & on Sunday we are engaged in services all
day - it is a day of rest but we don't get it (rest)

Monday Dec. 27 - 1897

All well - thanks to Our Good Shepherd. All the forenoon
very very busy putting up curtains between the dining~roon
and pantry, and also putting up curtains on the shelves te
hide our beautiful nice blue painted dishes which Mrs. C.
brought with her. The drapery which forms one end of the
dining room is composed of 2 scarlet colored bed quilts ~
the dishes are curtained off with scarlet col. creton.

In the afternoon I attempted to fix up a stove which
Mr. Morgan lent us, but the
</next_page_context>

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