# 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-067

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
and all ran to the bush & hid. Bre. Shoholm a godly

man was telling about Verner that one of the traders of
the English House said he was sorry when Verner left for
he was a good eustomer and bo't all the old rubbish he
had on hand for years. He had not been here but two weeks
when he had a slight fever and became very much fright-
ened went down on the coast for a change, spending about
20Ls. At another time he went to Tumba taking Mr. Strend-
man with him & paying his expenses the expenses of both
on the R.R. alone were L36. I hear lots of things about
Bro. V. that Im sorry for. Once he went to Boma ina
great hurry & very exeited to see Mr. Ried - superentend-
ant of IM.A. After Mr. R got through his business and
Bro. V's call, he asked him where he was going to work

or at least start some new stations, for Bro. V. had
heard that he (Reid) was going to plant some new stations
above Tumba. R. asked hi why he wanted to know and he
said "I don't want to step on your toes nor do I want you
to step on mine." Bro. R. said, "Mr. V. Africa is a very
large country and I think there is plenty reom for us
bothi" I could go on and tell lots of things he did that
was not right I hope he is alright since he has gone to
Luebo. Now I must saw good night. In Jesus Name.

Monday Feb. 15 - 1897

Arising early this a.m. I made preparations for leaving
Londe, Matadi and going to Tumba. A few minutes before
6 we had some eocoa, & at 6 we were ready to start. Mr.
Suite was going to Boma on a boat belonging to the Duteh
House. We got to the boat just as she was leaving and
got on board. We then went to the R.R. Station where I
had my baggage cheeked and purchased my tieket got on
board the train and was ready to start. Mr. Bullerkist
went to Vivi.e I wet Bro's Clippingdale & Wescott at
station & I took a little basket from Bro. C. to Mrs.
Wooding. At 7 o'ecloek sharp the train started and went
up quite a grade ~- as soon as we left Matadi the road
began to curve - and now it winds around like a snake ~
to show you how straight it is, we are going east - the
sun is in front of us a short distance and the sun is on
our left again on the right & sometimes behind us. At
12 min. past 7 we stopped to take water - a little square
tank near the track that the boiler is filled up with the
Engine has no tender. At 8 o'ecloek we stopped about 10
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
.) and about 10 o'clock
Bro. Sjoholm preached for the natives on the station.
The audiance numbered about 30 blacks and 6 whites good
singing and a deep earnestness in the worship. About
4:30 o'clock we had communion service for the natives,
but of course us six whites took part and communed with
them. Mr. Sjoholm conducted the service. I offered
the prayer in English. Singing alternately in Fiote &
Eng. 17 colored boys communed with us, there were three
others there in the service but they were not christians.
Tomorrow, D.V. I will get up early in the a.m. and will
go to Matadi at 6 o'clock. At 6:30 the train will leave
for Tumba. I will be awfully proud to get there. Bro.
Sjoholm is not feeling well tonight. I hope he will
not be sick. Bro. Bullerkist will leave in the a.m.
The same train I do and will go as far as "rivi" one of
Bishop Taylor's missions and remain all day and on Tues.
a.m. he will leave for NGangila. Mr. Smith will go to
Boma. I heard some bad tales on Bishop Taylor. I will
not take time to write them here but in some future time
will probably say something of them -one the way he got
his missionaries - by advertising and accepting any one
who presented him or herself, thereby getting many very
unworthy persons. Some were liars, some were thieves
and of course some good men. At NGingila once the
Bishop had a lot of the natives about him & he took out
his teeth - pulled off his wig and held them out and
when he did that the natives thought he was a witch Dr.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
min. at Palabala station. Nothing but one or two small
houses for the R.R. men. A short distance farther we
stopped again to replenish the water in the boiler. No
more stops until 9:15 when we stopped at N.Kenge a few
box houses are here eovered with grass. The Dutch have
a trading house here. This was the first real station
on the R.R. From Matadi to NKenge is one hill piled on
tep of another hills between hills hills all around hills
Hills every where. If you can figure out this description
you ean know what kind of a country it is. Since leaving
NKenge the land which the R.R. runs through is compara—
tively smooth, seeming to be a kind of plateau. At 10315
we stop to fill up the boiler again. The men on board
are all Belgians 12 others and myself. Making that unfor-
tunate No. 13. Glad to say I am mistaken our No. is 11
instead of 13 - they all drink but are comparatively
quiet. One man is on here who eame out on the 8.9.
Edward Bohlen with me. He is P.M. at Tumba. At 11 o'eloe
we come to a little place called Morolithe - here I saw
a native with a little animal about as large as a wharf.
rat and looking mueh the same gray, but had heir on its
tail it would follow him like a dog it is ealled a
mangos. We stopped at Lufu and from there for about an
hour we hed quite a level stretch of country. When we
stopped at Sungalula where are quite a nueber of people,
mostly R.R. hands. There are three large sheds for
sheltering Engines &¢ and for repairing then. A small
depot and sev
</next_page_context>

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