Pilgrims with Staves

"The pilgrims could be seen in knots gesticulating, discussing. Several had their staves in their hands. I truly believed they took these sticks to bed with them." (22)

Staves is plural for staff, which is a pole. In this case the staves were used to beat the native laborers. A pilgrim is one who embarks on a quest for something thought to be sacred. Marlow calls them pilgrims because they are blinded by the wealth of the ivory as if it were their religion.