Slatin was born in Ober St Veit near Vienna. He was the 4h child of the merchant Michael Slatin and his second wife Anna. His father converted from Judaism to Christianity (Roman Catholic). The children consisted of the twins, Maria and Anna (born in 1852); Heinrich (born in 1855); Rudolf Adolf (born in 1861); and Leopoldine (born in 1864). His father died in 1873 when Rudolf was at the Viennese commercial academy. He heard that a German bookseller in Cairo was looking for an assistant. He traveled to Trieste and thence in 5 days to Alexandria. He worked in the bookstore until travelling with the German businessman and consul Rosset to Khartum. Thence he went through Kordofan to Dar Nuba, exploring the mountains of that region. He was forced to return to Khartum because of a rebellion of t