The name Bouche du Roy is a gallicization of the Portuguese phrase Boca do rio (mouth of the river). The body of water was also called by different names, such as the "Papoues" in the 16th century and the "River of the Popos" in the 17th century.[2]
The point where the Bouche du Roy opens to the Atlantic Ocean has changed throughout history.[2] The depth of the opening varies greatly depending on the season and as such is easily navigable to canoes in the rainy season, but significantly harder to traverse in the dry season.[3] During heavy rains, the surrounding bodies of water swell with fresh water and the Bouche du Roy serves as an outlet to the sea.[4] The higher water level turns flooded land into swamps and sometimes creates temporary outlets along the sandspit from the lagoon into the ocean.[5] During dry seasons, the Bouche du Roy serves as an inlet for the sea and bodies of water upstream would harbor saltwater fish.[6] Historically, the Hula people have produced salt from dried up portions of nearby lagoons during the dry season.[7] The Bouche du Roy served as the border between the Hula kingdom and other polities, such as the Hueda kingdom and the Dahomey.[1]
