Ship of the Dark

[Bêthberry]

There's a later passage as well which seems to identify the black wings as sails.

'They [the ships] have come nearer.' He [Tal-elmar] pointed. 'There you will see their wings, or their wind-cloths, call them what you will.'

The page earlier they are referred to as well.

'Ships of the Go-hilleg,' said Hazad, 'with great wind-cloths. Three white -- and one black.'

It appears that the wind cloths suggest the size of the ships, not being small ones powered by paddles or oars. Also that the term 'wind cloth' represents an effort on Tolkien's part, I would think, to attempt to characterise the way of thinking of these people. The sight of the ships with their unfamiliar sails is described in metaphorical terms as they lack any word in their own language for sails.

It's a fascinating little tale, especially with the story of Tal-elmar's mother, who clearly is a captive slave taken in marriage against her will. She has been kidnapped and taken away from a husband and first child. The story suggests that this 'marriage' is a preferable state to what usually happened to slaves.

But when his wife, Elmar, had learned at length enough of the speech of her new kin, she said to Buldar on a day: 'I have much to thank thee for, lord; but think not ever to get my love so. For thou hast torn me from my own people, and from him that I loved and from the child I bore him. For them ever shall I year and grieve, and give love to none else. Never again shall I be glad, while I am held captive among a strange folk that I ddem base and unlovely. '

Her language is characterised by the formal (archaic) forms of English. A most fascinating tale.