An 1867 discovery of a “pretty pebble” along the banks of the Orange River in South Africa led to the finding of a rich diamond field near present-day Kimberley (the city was founded as a result of the mining, in 1871). Similar to the California gold rush roughly a decade and a half earlier, the finding in central South Africa prompted people from Britain and other countries to flock to the area. However, the ultimate outcome was conflict: Since both the British and the Boers (who were Dutch descendants living in South Africa) claimed the Kimberley area, the first Boer War ensued in 1880.