# 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.

## 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.

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.

## 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-289

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
em down by
makes mistakes

Friday Oct. 20 - 99
Sephie went te Kinshasa in hammeck ~ I went te Ndele on
train teek my bike - saw the new bet of CCC Mr. Leyd
is Chief builder ~ I then came te Gerdons & had dinner.
Afterwards I went te Dutch House, about 4 e'cleck 8.S..
Reed came in (A.B.M.U.) & Gorden & I went te the custem
house te meet it, Mr. Banks master. Mrs. Crewley & I
then came dewn te Lee. with him. He will stay with us
until Monday when he will leave for Hout Cenge. Mr.
Black has decided te ge up with him

Leopeldville Saturday Oct. 21 = 99

This aem. I got out leads for A.B.M.U. & C.BM. & had
them put en the beach I made eut a list &e & sent te
the Custem Officer & had the Extait du Permis signed

@ very busy day - packages large & steamer small - Diffi-~
sult te load.

Sunday Oct. 22 - 99

Service this a-m. was goed - large attendance. Nkaku
Interpreted what I preached to then. Mrs. Crewley's
service in the p.m. was very largely attended. My
service in English was nething. Prayers fer & with the
boys & then te bed.

Monday Oct. 23 - 99

Mr. Banks called me early & I had to add a few more leads
te the list - About 9 e'clock the steamer left - we sent
a piece of ham & some bread & cakes with Mr. Banks

Mr. Black gone with him as a passenger. He is strictly
a vegetarian - I doen't know how he will get on. Sophie
net well so I could net go ever to Kinshasa en beat. I
nearly always go over when a beat leaves. In that way

I keep up with what gees on all around & it saves me a
trip en my wheel er on train one way.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
r the week.
I paid off [Mayumbe?] - Nkala comes into the house as table
boy &c. Good-night.

Sunday Oct. 15 - 99
This a.m. Nkaku & I had the services 2 Italians were
passing by & I lured them into the church - our service
was in Congo, but they could not understand Eng. so
they were just as well off - they sat there during the
whole service and one of them helped sing. I think it
was hard for them to remain in doors so long - this p.m.
there were 3 scandinavians at service, myself & Mr. Black
making 5 in all. I did the preaching. I hope an impres-
sion was made - also on the ones this a.m. Now good
night. Sophie had a big S.S. class.

Oct. 16 - 99 Monday
Mr. Black is turning things about in C.B.M. store and
has some boys to help him. This p.m. we sent for
Kwanga but got none, so our boys will have to take rice
until next market day. Good night.

Tuesday Oct. 17 - 99
Today I made an assortment of some loads for our Luebo
brethren took a list and had them ready to carry to the
beach when the boat would leave. Mr. Jones, an English-
man is master, but the boat will not leave until Friday
so will not carry loads down until Thursday. Good night.

Wednesday Oct. 18 - 99
Had the boys building fence today, ready for gardening.
Nothing of interest. Good night.

Thursday Oct. 19 - 99
⟦deleted: Early this a.m. I went to the beach & borrowed a boat⟧
⟦deleted: from a capt. & had my loads carried down & put on board⟧
⟦deleted: Steamer at once.⟧ Boys still building fence & had corn
planted.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
Tuesday Oct. 24 - 1899

Teday I went te Kinshasa. Sephie was in bed when I left
I went te Dutch house & found Mr. Gresheff weuld return
today frem Eurepe I teek ever fer him a nice little
center piece fer his dining table which Sephie had made.
I ate diner at Gerden's. Started te come home at once
as seen as I had eaten but it was se het 1 pest-poned it
fer a little & went te the Dutch House again. Mr. Poole
asked if I had any eggs, se I ceme home at once & found
Sephie in the midst ef scheel I teld her that Mr. G.
would be in & his did net have any little dainties
fer him se she made some doughntts & I sent over + doz
eges. I hepe he will get in o.k. & have a geed supper —
train was late & he ne doubt will be tired - geed-night -
I will ge ever in the a.m. & see hin.

Leepeldville Wednesday Oct. 25 ~ 1899

I went ever early this am. to Kinshasa, saw Mr. Gresheff
Mr. Cooper & Mr. Inkles. Mr. Bissell, directer of ch. de
fer, offered me a ride ever on train but I had net been
te Gerden's se I could net go with him. Hewever I went
ever a shert time afterwards I saw Mr. Bissell again at
Leepeldville & had a little business chat with him. In
peme I wrete letters kc.

Thursday Oct. 26 ~ 99

I had the beys plant seme corn teday get weed &c. Nething
ef interest.

Friday Oct. 27 ~ 99

Had the beys get leng sticks fer braces fer the verandeh
ef heuse. I shall have to make some repairs. Tenight
about dark the Hainout came in & temorrew a.m. we will
hear frem up river probably. I get a n
</next_page_context>

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