Something I like to do in my free time is look through public domain databases. I was digging through The Metropolitan Museum's Open Access Files when I came across the photo below of a letter press with a Zincograph by José Guadalupe Posada. I also used google translate to share with y'all! What do we think? Did Don Agustín Castro really have a strange creature in his possession, or was it a hoax?
Original transcript:
"A principios del mes de junio próximo pasado, se vió en Guásima, mineral perteneciente á Sinaloa, el fenómeno más singular que haya producido la naturaleza.
Una cerda dió á luz el ra-risimo sér que tanto llama la atención, el cual consiste en un marrano monstruoso, pues tiene la piel de la misma calidad y color del pellejo humano; las manos, patas y pezuñas son de cerdo verdaderamente, lo mismo que la cola, bastante corta; pero todo esto es en cuanto a la figura y organización únicamente. En la barriga se le ven dos hileras de tetas y el cordón umbilical. La parte que co-responde al tronco se asemeja al de un hombre; la cabeza es muy perfecta y está cubierta de cabello grueso, sin ser cerdas todavia: las orejas son exactísimas á las de la gente y colocadas en perfecta posición humana; en: cada carrillo ó cachete tiene un lunár de pelo; el hocico presenta una preciosa dentadura de gente también; la nariz y barba están semi cubiertos con algunos vellos ásperos; los ojos se ven unidos y sumamenteredondos, nosiendo de cerdo ni de hombre, pues más bien semejan ser de pescado; sobre cada uno de estos ojos forma arco la ceja y en la parte más alta, es decir, en la frente, luce un regular cuerno ó trompa adornada con pocos vellos. La persona que tiéne en su poder este singularísimo y jamás visto teno-meno, es Don Agustín Castro, muy conocido en la ciudad de Pánuco.
Este señor, como decimos, conserva el hombre-cerdo muerto naturalmente y en una vasija con alcohol, causando á todos los que lo ven la consiguiente admiración y asombro.
No cabe duda que cada día se miran semejantes casos de lo más raro que pueda uno figurarse, pero á éstos no se les da más solución por ahora que la naturaleza caprichosa, pues darle otra, sería pensar muy mal respecto á la humanidad."
(Rough) Google translation to English:
"At the beginning of last June, the most singular phenomenon ever produced by nature was seen in Guásima, a mineral belonging to Sinaloa.
A sow gave birth to the strangest creature that attracts so much attention, which consists of a monstrous pig, for it has skin of the same quality and color as human skin; the hands, legs and hooves are truly those of a pig, as is the tail, which is quite short; but all this is in regard to the figure and organization only. On the belly two rows of teats and the umbilical cord can be seen. The part that corresponds to the trunk resembles that of a man; the head is very perfect and is covered with thick hair, without being bristles yet; the ears are exactly like those of humans and placed in a perfect human position; on each cheek or cheek there is a mole of hair; the snout presents beautiful human teeth as well; the nose and beard are half covered with some rough hair; the eyes are seen to be close together and extremely round, not being of a pig or a man, but rather resembling those of a fish; Above each of these eyes forms an arch, and at the highest part, that is, on the forehead, there is a regular horn or trunk adorned with a few hairs. The person who has this very unique and never seen teno-meno in his possession is Don Agustín Castro, well known in the city of Pánuco.
This gentleman, as we say, preserves the dead pig-man naturally and in a vessel with alcohol, causing all who see him the consequent admiration and astonishment.
There is no doubt that every day we see such strange cases that one can imagine, but for now there is no other solution than capricious nature, because to give it another would be to think very badly of humanity."
