THE CAULDRON
by
Alan A Sandercott

Spring has sprung, and along with it the need for spring cleaning. It’s not one of my more enjoyable tasks but this year something caught my eye; an old cast iron cauldron. I know it’s been around here for a long time – I’ve just never paid that much attention to it before. It was found back in the bush on our property some thirty odd years ago and has been in our family ever since. Interestingly, the old original Francois Lake road once passed through our property where our front lawn now holds back nature’s encroachment.

Exactly where the old pot came from is unknown. For the last few years it has adorned a spot on our back deck where it resembles one of those spittoons once found in saloons, only not that shiny brass. This pot was made from cast iron with a flared top, three pointy legs welded to the bottom and two small handles near the top. It’s badly rusted and has a crack running down one side with a small triangle piece broken out, but that adds to its antique look.

It’s been suggested it may have been a bean pot designed to sit in an open fire pit, or perhaps a cooking pot used by native Indians that often camped along the lake while fishing and hunting. They may have traded for it with the early trappers in the area. However, I suspect it’s too heavy to have been packed along in a canoe. It seems more probable that it was brought into the area by wagon with early settlers of the area. Perhaps it was placed over the fire once too often resulting in the crack that limited its usefulness. That would explain the reason for it being left behind along the trail.

One thing is for sure, it makes a great topic of conversation, not to mention a pretty decent flower pot.