The final chapter struck me as something unusual, particularly to the references made in accordance of Marlow's behaviors towards the being that is Kurtz. His entire self being seems to come into question, beginning to grow more fragmented and less observant towards himself and more towards everything around him. Kurtz to Marlow is like another white blotch on a map that he always wanted to locate as a young boy, something that has always powered him to advance forward through life and to divulge himself deeper into his ventures. Kurtz symbolizes a near demi-God that has been so diluted in the eyes of man that those that speak of him aren't quite sure just how to interpret him entirely. "One of the agents with a picket of a few of our blacks, armed for the purpose, was keeping guard over the ivory; but deep within the forest, red gleams that wavered, that seemed to sink and rise from the ground amongst confused columnar shapes of intense blackness, showed the exact position of the camp where Mr. Kurtz's adorers were keeping their uneasy vigil. The monotonous beating of a big drum filled the air with muffled shocks and a lingering vibration." This spot in particular catching me especially my surprise however, after reading further into the chapter.
In the impending moments before Kurtz's death, a drum is beating in a rhythm and the beating of a large drum would entitle a deep sound that would resemble the beating of a heart. This goes mentioned later on in a more blunt fashion just prior to his death, "the beat of the drum, regular and muffled like the beating of a heart--the heart of a conquering darkness." The repetitive notion of the drum and the comparisons Marlow feels towards the steady beat entitles an amount of remnant left upon him - something similar to which Kurtz felt in his time within the dark continent. Kurtz's entire identity resided in words and actions - now only remaining in Marlow and through the constant pulse of a drum-beat.
The drums continuing past Kurtz's death, however, make me believe that drums symbolize the heartbeat of Africa still surviving past the imperialism that eventually dies away as Kurtz does physically.
Very interesting thoughts about the use of drums throughout the chapter, a bit of trivia that may help you to delve deeper into your thoughts. The vikings used a drum to beat out rhythms for their slaves to row their boats to. It kept a sort of metronome, a sort of order to their senseless work. Also I like your thoughts about the drums symbolizing the heartbeat of Africa, and I know what Truban said was probably not taken seriously when he said the Kurtz was not real, however I think that is a very legitimate point in itself. the fact that the drum beats like a heart after Kurtz dies, perhaps it's a comparison to when a speaker stops talking and the recording that they were syncing with continues.
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