Article Nº 3361 Stream, valley or inland water Calheta Vol. III · p. 471
São João (stream)
Original title: São João (Ribeira de)
One of the three large streams crossing Funchal, rising in Santo António and reaching the sea at São Lázaro; it has borne several names.
It rises in the mountains of the parish (freguesia) of Santo António (‘St Anthony’) and flows into the ocean at the locality (sítio) of São Lázaro, in the parish of São Pedro (‘St Peter’), and is one of the three large streams that cross the city of Funchal. The stretch that runs through the parish of Santo António is called Ribeira Grande or Ribeira de Santo António. In former times it was also called St Francis, São Paulo, Santa Catarina and São Lázaro. All these names are found in old documents.