The island of St. Francisco is low, watered with various small rivers, and inhabited; on its eastern side there is a narrow lake, ten miles long from north to south, denominated the river Acarahy; and near it another small one. Two leagues north of the bar of Babitonga is the river Sahy Mirim, and the same distance farther the Sahy Grande, both inconsiderable, uniting in one stream a little above their embouchures.
The greatest part of the population of this province is descended from families who came from the Azore Islands, for the purpose of colonizing it. Negroes are not numerous, and mesticos still less so. The aboriginal Patos, whose name the island at first had, penetrated into the continent. The Carijos were the first tribe understood by the Vincentistas, and hence their name was given in common to all domesticated Indians, of whatever nation.
This province has three towns, viz.
- Nosso Senhora do Desterro, in the island of St. Catharina,
- Laguna, on the continent,
- St. Francisco, in the island of the same name;
and seven parishes, namely,
| St. Joze |  | on the continent; |
| St. Miguel | ||
| Nosso Senhora do Rozario | ||
| Santa Anna | ||
| Nosso Senhora da Conceiçao | | in the island of St. Catharina. |
| Nosso Senhora da Lapa | ||
| Nosso Senhora das Necessidades |
The hermitages are equal in number to the parishes.
In 1796, this province was computed to have
| 4,216 | fogos, or houses. |
| 23,865 | adult inhabitants, exclusive of paid troops. |
| 3 | sugar engenhos, or works. |
| 192 | distilleries of rum. |
| 4 | engenhos for pounding rice. |
| 297 | wind and horse mills. |
| 884 | bolandeiras for grinding mandioca. |
| 32 | tan-pits. |
In the year 1812, the population amounted to 31,530.