Cuñeil Indians. A tribe, evidently Yuman, described by Garcés in 1775-76 1 as inhabiting the territory between San Diego, southern California and the mouth of the Rio Colorado. They were friendly with the Cocopa. From their habitat and the similarity in their names they would seem to be identical with the Comeya, but Garcés mentions the latter, under the name Quemayá as if distinct. On the map of Father Pedro Font (1777), who was a companion of Father Garcés, the Cuñeil are located in northern Lower California, between lat 31º and 32º. According to Gatschet the name Kunyil or Knyeyil, in the Comey dialect signifies “all men”, “people”.
- Garcés, Diary, 444, 450, 1900[↩]