Southern China, near Macau. The Jesuit Adriano de las Cortes, captured as a shipwreck survivor by the Chinese, asks for cold water to drink. After several gestures, they bring him hot water, which the Chinese consider healthier than cold water. He continues to gesture, and at this point they realize he wants something else, and they bring him tobacco to smoke (which in Chinese is called smoke liquor). Being a Jesuit, he refuses to smoke. Finally, they bring him hot water infused with a plant called “cha.” This is tea. Adriano de las Cortes is probably one of the first Europeans to taste tea.
