Originally a Lebou fishing village called Tenguedj, Rufisque became
important in the 16th century as the principal port of the kingdom of Cayor,
being frequented by Portuguese (who named it Rio Fresco or "Freshwater
River"), Dutch, French and English traders. A Euro-African Creole, or Métis,
community of merchants grew up there, in close contact with similar communities
in Saint Louis, Gorée and other places along the Petite Côte (Portudal, Joal)
south to the Gambia River. In 1840 a couple of Saint Louis merchants built
warehouses on the waterfront to stock peanuts. Gorée merchants followed suit.
There followed
