Machins

Machins, a people of East Turkestan, occupying the oases south and south-west of the Tarim basin, as well as the Keria Mountains bordering this depression on the south. The Machins regard themselves as the true aborigines of East Turkestan, though the Highlanders alone (Malchas) have preserved the primitive type: large cheek-bones, skull angular and flattened at occiput, rather thick lips, dark brown complexion, eyes generally black, but also blue or grey, hair also black, chestnut, and even reddish, pointing at mixed Mongolic and Caucasic descent, probably from the Ussuns, Sakas and Tukharas, who, according to the Chinese records, occupied this region long before the Christian era. They are nominal Mohammedans, though still addicted to polyandry as well as polygamy and practising many pagan rites; speech a Turki dialect (Prejevalski).