▁trade ▁as ▁such . ▁European ▁slave ▁and ▁merchant ▁ships ▁preferred ▁other ▁areas ▁along ▁the ▁coast . ▁The ▁earliest ▁recorded ▁European ▁voyage ▁to ▁West ▁Africa ▁was ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁in ▁ 1 4 8 2 . ▁The ▁first ▁West ▁African ▁French ▁settlement , ▁Saint ▁Louis , ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 7 th ▁century ▁in ▁Sen eg al , ▁while ▁at ▁about ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁Dutch ▁c eded ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁a ▁settlement ▁at ▁G ore e ▁Island , ▁off ▁Dak ar . ▁A ▁French ▁mission ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 6 3 7 ▁at ▁Ass in ie ▁near ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁the ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁( now ▁Gh ana ). ▁The ▁Europe ans ▁suppress ed ▁the ▁local ▁practice ▁of ▁sla very ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁and ▁forb ade ▁the ▁trade ▁to ▁their ▁mer ch ants . ▁ ▁Ass in ie ' s ▁surv ival ▁was ▁prec ari ous , ▁however ; ▁the ▁French ▁were ▁not ▁firm ly ▁established ▁in ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁until ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁century . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 3 – 4 , ▁French ▁adm iral ▁Louis ▁Ed ou ard ▁Bou ë t - W illaume z ▁signed ▁treat ies ▁with ▁the ▁k ings ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Bass am ▁and ▁Ass in ie ▁regions , ▁making ▁their ▁territ ories ▁a ▁French ▁prote ctor ate . ▁French ▁expl or ers , ▁mission aries , ▁trad ing ▁companies , ▁and ▁soldiers ▁gradually ▁extended ▁the ▁area ▁under ▁French ▁control ▁in land ▁from ▁the ▁l ago