The post was used by fur traders as late as 1718.
The Hausa are often traders, traversing the country in large caravans.
The chief local bodies concerned with commerce and industry are the chambres de commerce and the chambres consultatives darts et manufactures, the members of which are elected from their own number by the traders and industrialists of a certain standing.
From Persia much new information was supplied by Jean Chardin, Jean Tavernier, Charles Hamilton, Jean de Thevenot and Father Jude Krusinski, and by English traders on the Caspian.
Jacques Vieau established here a post for the North-west Company of fur traders in 1795.