Saint-Louis was established in 1659 by French traders on an uninhabited
island called Ndar. It was baptized Saint-Louis-du-Fort in homage to the French
king Louis XIV. It was the first permanent French settlement in Senegal. The
fortified factory commanded trade along the Senegal River. Slaves, hides,
beeswax, ambergris and, later, gum arabic were exported. During the Seven Years
War, in 1758 British forces captured Senegal. In February 1779, French forces
recaptured Saint-Louis. In the late 18th century, Saint Louis had about 5,000
inhabitants, not counting an indeterminate number of slaves in transit.
"Saint-Louis
