# 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-240

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

<current_page_ocr status="non_authoritative_hypothesis">
Leo. Thursday Mar. 30 - 1899

This asm. we heard that the A.B.M.U. steamer Henry Reed
came in to Kinshasa last night - & would be at our beach
about 3 p.m. = but it was about 5 peme before it came.
Mr. Billington & wife on board. He came down to take

up cargo for A.B.M. He will load up tomorrow.

Friday Mar. 31 - 99

Mr. Billington had loaded up and was getting ready to
leave tomorrow morning - but a telegram came from Dr.
Dye & wife from Matadi ~ asking him to wait as they
would be up on Saturday & wished to go up river with

him so he waited. We had been using a table & bureau
of Mr. Morgan's to keep them out of mischief but he sent
for them and now they are gone. Mr. Billington brought
me two big bags of corn about 4 bushels - costing about
20 cents per. bu. We asked him & Mrs. B. to take dinner
with us today but they plead too much work & did not come

Saturday April 1%* 1899

This aem. I went to see the sick man - found him in a sad
condition & went & told the Commissaire. He said he
would have the Lr. urged on & so two Drs were sent down
& he was given more attention. About 12 n. the Kassai
boat which took Mr. Vass away, came in and about 3 p.m.
it went to Kinshasa I went too - when we came back - the
Gommissaires Vanmubig - & Latham - the man who had the
English man shot - & the Dr. we got back about dark -
after supper Sophie & I went to the Depot to meet Dr. &
Mrs. Dye - they come from N. Y. City & come to reinforce
Mr. Farris The F.M.C.S. - in other word compbelites.

We found Mr. & Mrs. B. & Mr. Woolings there - and the
train was late & did not come until 10 o'clock p.m.

They are very nice.

Sunday - April 2°4 1899

This aem. Mr. Woolings preached to the Congos & in the
pem- Dr. Dye preached to the Accras. He had his organ
at Church & Mrs. Billington played. After service there
was singing - for about 15 or 20 minutes. Dr. Dye & wife
took supper with us & spent the evening ~— we had a very
pleasant time - they went down on the boat to sleep as
Mr. Billington wanted to leave early in the morning.
</current_page_ocr>

<previous_page_context kind="validated_structured_tail" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
k home for the night, so she went
over with the capt. I am now a widower for the night.
I took my pudding & some chicken down to Mr. Woolings
and we had supper together. The boys are all outside
singing and having a good time = after prayers = I
rung the bell & called them in - all our boys came in
but a lot of others stayed outside & kept up their
noise. I went out with my whip & soon scattered them.
I am lonely now and will retire, hoping to go to
Kinshasa in the a.m. tomorrow. I have gone away from
Sophie and left her at home for several days, but this
is the 1st time that she has left me.

Tuesday Mar. 28 - 1899
It rained all night last night and till about 8 o'clock
this a.m. After it stopped I rode my bike to Kinshasa
where I found Sophie well & enjoying her visit. What
was she doing? Cutting out a dress for Mrs. Gordon. I
went to the Dutch House - while there one of the steamers
came in and I went to see the Captain. I ate dinner
with Sophie at Mrs. Gordons. After dinner our boys
came over with the hammock for Sophie & I rode on my
wheel. Mr. Gordon accompanied me with his ½ way. We
got home in good time and Sophie feels fine from her
visit and ride. Good night.

Wednesday Mar. 29 - 1899
After the usual work about the place - buying some
quanga & some fowls &c - and a trip down to the beach
to see about a steamer &c the days work is wound up.
I went to see a sick man - miserable Doctor - no nour-
ishment - no accommodations for a sick man. He is
commandant of the port.
</previous_page_context>

<next_page_context kind="raw_ocr_head" status="continuity_only_non_authoritative">
~had supper with us. we had a fine large feed

Mr. Woolings

Leo. Monday Spril ard 99

I got on board the steamer at 6 o'clock this a.m. I
left Sophie in bed - I gave orders to the boys to go

for quanga. I went to Kinshasa with them. Had break-
fast at the Dutch House saw Mr. Grenfell & wife - I

then went to Brazzaville with Mr. B. & bade the party
goodbye. I had dinner with the chief of the Dutch House
Mr. Cooper ~ in the absence of Mr. Greshoff, and in p.m.
came back with the Dutch House Steamer - on our way over
some Accra men tied a canoe to the boat & by some miss-
managment the thing swung around & through one man out -
& before the captain could 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.

Tuesday April 4th 99

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 & of us at the table. Mr. Grenfell is a
white man &
</next_page_context>

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